Speculation mounts over IRA statement

Speculation was mounting tonight that republicans are planning to release the latest IRA statement as efforts to revive the flagging Northern Ireland peace process continued.

Irish and British government officials were beginning to focus on a keynote address at Stormont tomorrow by Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, as the countdown began on the dissolution of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

But parties were also beginning to discuss privately the possibility that the Provisionals may disclose what they offered London and Dublin to move the peace process forward.

With republicans under pressure to declare an end to armed struggle and all paramilitarism, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness fuelled the speculation by hinting that the public could soon know the IRA’s position.

He said: “It’s my view that the public deserve to have a sense of what the IRA put to the two governments and the leader of the Ulster Unionists (David Trimble).

“The public are entitled to have a clear understanding of the present situation.

“It will be incumbent on everybody to publish the joint declaration which deals with critical issues around the rights and entitlements of people.”

On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair publicly put three questions to the IRA in a bid to get more clarity from the organisation.

He asked: “When the IRA say that their strategies and disciplines will not be inconsistent with the Good Friday Agreement, does that mean an end to all activities inconsistent with the Good Friday Agreement including targeting, procurement of weapons, so-called punishment beatings and so forth?

“Secondly, when they say that they are committed to putting arms beyond use through the decommissioning commission, does that mean all arms so that the process is complete?

“And thirdly, when they say that they support the Good Friday Agreement and want it to work, does that mean that if the two governments and the other parties fulfil their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement and the joint declaration, does that mean the complete and final closure of the conflict?”

Sinn Fein leaders reacted angrily, insisting that the IRA statement was clear and unambiguous.

Mr McGuinness said today it was Sinn Fein’s view that the statement passed confidentially to the two governments a fortnight ago was unprecedented, unparalleled and final.

Confirming that talks were still taking place between his party and the two governments, the Mid Ulster MP joined nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan in demanding that Assembly elections should go ahead regardless.

In a speech to the Irish Association in Belfast, Mr Durkan blamed the IRA Army Council for the current political impasse, and said that unionists had also frustrated progress.

But he added: “The (British and Irish) governments must ensure the Assembly elections go ahead as planned on May 29.

“If the political parties cannot provide the clarity and certainty needed to make the Agreement work then the people must be given the opportunity to provide it for them by giving a new mandate for the Agreement to those who are most committed it.”

Last month, Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy postponed the Assembly elections from May 1 to May 29 to buy more time for a groundbreaking IRA move.

But speculation that the elections might not go ahead has been fuelled by the Prime Minister and Mr Murphy’s insistence that the vote must be meaningful.

North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds, of the anti-Agreement Democratic Unionists, said tonight it was clear there was “a lot of manoeuvring going on”.

He said: “Some people may indeed be trying now to avoid the blame.

“One thing is clear though. Statements and stunts from the IRA will not suffice.

“The elections must take place so people can deliver their verdict on the raft of concessions pro-Agreement parties agreed to give the IRA and also on the Provos’ statement.”