Minister: End spectre of para-militarism

Foreign Minister Brian Cowen today pointed to the “corrosive impact” of para-military activity on the Northern Ireland peace process.

His comments came ahead of this week’s talks in Hillsborough, Co Down, between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair – and followed intensifying speculation in Dublin that the two governments were about to insist on an IRA declaration that their war was over.

Mr Cowen told Irish radio: “The Taoiseach and the Prime Minister have outlined an analysis which confirms that we need now (to be) moving from incremental management of this process to acts of completion in respect of each and every aspect of the agreement.

“We are trying to get all the parties to focus in on what contributions they can all make, both individually and collectively, to make the full implementation of the agreement a reality for ordinary people on the ground.”

The minister said it was clear to everyone that there was a need to bring about a situation “where in the context of full implementation of the agreement we can actually bring about a position where the spectre of para-militarism in all its forms is brought to an end.

“One has to recognise the enormous expectations there are among ordinary people for a normalised society. And a normalised society involves an end to spectre of para-militarism in all of its aspects – and also, of course, that there should be a proportionate response on the side of the concomitant military presence that has been brought about by reason of the conflict of 30 years.”

Mr Cowen said that obviously meant that para-militarism became a thing of the past “on the basis that we have achieved political process, which brings about a vision for the agreement that is concrete for ordinary people, that allows everybody can pursue their political objectives in a peaceful and exclusively democratic way.

“I believe the corrosive impact of para-militarism on all sides has dented prospects and the expectations of ordinary people on the ground.

“And I think there is a requirement now for a response from everybody which confirms that a new beginning is, in fact, not only achievable, but available for everybody.”

Today’s Dublin reports said the outlines of the deal lined up by the two governments incorporated:

a declaration by republicans that the war was over, a commitment by Sinn Fein to join Northern Ireland’s policing board, a commitment to total arms decommissioning within a specific time frame, together with a public act of decommissioning to begin the process.