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.

Difficulties will arise however once Mr Blair departs for Germany later today, and then heads to Greece for the European Union Summit on Wednesday and Thursday, which Mr Ahern will also attend.

Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble warned that time was running out to strike a deal to restore devolution in Northern Ireland before the Stormont elections.

Confirming he had seen a draft of Sunday's IRA statement, Mr Trimble said efforts to achieve a breakthrough would fail unless there was more clarity on the IRA's intentions both to disarm and to move to a position where it would no longer exist.

Early yesterday, the Governments welcomed the IRA statement, saying it showed much progress and reflected a desire to make the process work.

Yesterday morning, Mr Ahern had a lengthy telephone conversation with Mr Blair, before meeting with ministers and senior officials to discuss the steps to be taken.

Notably, it was six months to the day since negotiations began on formulating acts of completion in the peace process.