Postponing elections a serious mistake - Adams

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said today there was no reason why Northern Ireland elections could not be held next month and that the IRA had delivered a “hugely advanced package” of intent to end paramilitary activity.

Mr Adams said British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s decision to postpone the Stormont elections from May 29 to the autumn was a “slap in the face of the Good Friday Agreement”.

He rejected the British government’s demand for more clarity from the IRA, saying it had made “very significant progress”.

The IRA released a set of statements last night in which it insisted it was committed to making the peace process work and confirming it was poised to make a third act of decommissioning if agreement had been reached to restore the power-sharing executive in Belfast.

But Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy said the IRA statements were ambiguous and demanded clarity, while Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble accused it of playing word games.

Speaking in Westminster today, Mr Adams said: “Mr Blair’s decision to stop the elections is a serious mistake and a slap in the face of the Good Friday Agreement.

“It’s as if the rulebook of conflict resolution has been torn up.

“Our view is that Mr Blair should reverse his decision on the elections. That he should enable them to go ahead as soon as possible. In fact there is no reason, and no credible excuse, why there cannot be elections in June.”

Mr Adams said the joint declaration by the Irish and British governments was progress, although conditional and protracted.

“There are IRA statements and it is clear from them that there is an IRA leadership which is determined that there will be no activities that will undermine in any way the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement.

“We have an IRA leadership that has stated clearly its willingness to proceed with the implementation of a process to put arms beyond use at the earliest opportunity.

“And very importantly, despite the suspension of the institutions, there is an IRA leadership which authorised the third act of putting arms beyond use.

“And also an IRA leadership which has stated publicly that if the two governments and all the parties fulfil their commitments, that it accepts that this will provide the basis for the complete and final closure of the conflict.

“All of this is very significant progress.”