Republicans must wind down IRA: Blair

British Prime Minister Tony Blair tonight issued a fresh challenge to republicans to wind down the IRA and deliver stable devolution in Northern Ireland.

Mr Blair threw down the gauntlet as Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams urged the British and Irish governments to send a message to hardline unionists that they would implement the Good Friday Agreement.

With Northern Ireland’s politicians preparing for a review of the accord, Mr Blair said at his monthly Downing Street press conference two questions had to be addressed.

“One: is it clear that on the part of the unionist majority there is a willingness to share power and work in the executive together with all parties that are abiding by the Belfast Agreement?” he asked.

“And two, in respect of the republican party, Sinn Féin, is there a clear understanding that we can’t have a situation where any party that is in government is associated with active paramilitary organisations?”

Mr Blair said the failure of republicans to address this issue was the reason why Northern Ireland did not have a “functioning devolved government.”

British and Irish ministers are expected to announce either January 29 or February 3 as the start date for the review which will involve unionist, nationalist and cross community parties.

There will be considerable interest in the approach of Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists to the discussions.

Last November, the DUP outpolled David Trimble’s Ulster Unionists to become the largest unionist party and the biggest party in the Assembly.

The DUP and cross-community Alliance Party are expected to press for radical changes to the Agreement, arguing for a smaller Assembly, fewer ministerial departments and a new system of devolved government.

However nationalists oppose radical changes.

In a keynote address in a north Belfast grammar school, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams today warned against a prolonged review.

The West Belfast MP said London and Dublin must press ahead with commitments on police reform, the scaling down of the British Army’s presence in Northern Ireland and a scheme enabling paramilitaries who have been on-the-run abroad to return.

He also told students at St Malachy’s College he believed the DUP would eventually move to a position of accommodation with his party.

But he argued the governments could not afford to wait on Mr Paisley’s party or allow it to “unravel the progress” made in recent years.

“With the application of proper strategies and political will I believe the process can be moved on,” he said.

“However if the next five years is to be a continuation of the past five years, then we face continuous stalemate, stagnation and eventual breakdown. No political process could be sustained on such a diet.

“This places a heavy responsibility on the two governments – and especially on Mr Blair and Mr Ahern – to provide the essential political leadership that this dangerous crisis urgently demands.

“As the leaders of the two sovereign governments and the joint and co-equal guarantors of the Agreement, it falls to them to marshal the pro-Agreement forces and implement a strategy to defeat the wreckers and move the process forward.

“This may mean the pro-Agreement, pro-peace parties and governments agreeing and setting out an agenda for progress. Obviously such a task is outside the remit of the review and may require a different mechanism.”

During a day of talks with Irish parties, nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan said his review team would resist DUP moves to destroy the Agreement.

The Foyle MLA said in Dublin: “Before the election the SDLP warned that the DUP were out to destroy the Agreement. Sinn Féin meanwhile, insisted that it could work with the DUP.

“It is clear already that our warnings were correct – the DUP are out to wreck the Agreement.

“That is why it is so important that the governments drive the process of change.”