IRA responds to calls for clarity

THE IRA last night clarified its future intentions to the Irish and British governments, just as its ambiguous language threatened to derail the latest peace deal at the final hurdle.

Last night, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams hit out at Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for calling for clarification of a confidential IRA statement on the organisation’s future, insisting it was clear and unambiguous.

Mr Ahern and Mr Blair were seeking clarification on a number of points regarding the IRA’s future plans and attitude towards disarming. Their plans to unveil a peace package to kickstart the Good Friday Agreement were postponed last Thursday, but a fresh meeting at Hillsborough could be arranged at short notice.