UDA ceasefire recognition 'worth the risk'

The British government’s recognition of a loyalist paramilitary group’s ceasefire is a risk worth taking, a Northern Ireland minister insisted today.

With speculation mounting that the Ulster Defence Association will issue a statement on its future tomorrow, Northern Ireland Office security minister Ian Pearson said the onus was on the loyalist group to prove it was genuine.

“They have got to walk the walk,” he told a fringe meeting on security at the Ulster Unionist conference in Newcastle, Co Down.

“We expect actions, not words. I strongly believe it is worth taking the risk.”

Mr Pearson said the decision yesterday by Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy to recognise the UDA ceasefire was based on an assessment of the recent report by the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) and discussions with the Ulster Political Research Group.