Historic move opens door to lasting peace

WHEN it came, ultimately, the statement from the IRA was unequivocal in its intent. It has ended its armed campaign and ordered all units to dump arms.

The armed struggle is over, and the republican movement is to follow the path of democracy, ending more than 30 years of violence.

In effect, those sentiments spanned centuries of conflict. Appearing, as it did, with the imprimatur of the Irish, British and American Governments the guarantees on pursuing peaceful objectives and that the war had ultimately ended, must be positively viewed.