Blair 'could save deal with IRA statement'

British Prime Minister Tony Blair could help retrieve the stalled peace process deal in Northern Ireland by making a statement stating the IRA has been fully compliant with disarmament procedures, Sinn Féin claimed today.

The party’s national chairman, Mitchel McLaughlin, said he believed the deal which faltered yesterday over a lack of transparency over weapons decommissioning was still salvageable.

The former Foyle Assembly member said: “If Tony Blair were to make a statement that the IRA was in full compliance with the agreed scheme, agreed with General John de Chastelain and also agreed with all the political parties including David Trimble’s, if the two Governments were to put their authority on the line and say this scheme is being followed by republicans if not the loyalist organisations, then we can retrieve the situation.”