Transcripts courtesy of the Northern Ireland Information Service; editorial courtesy of Irish American Post Staff and Irish-American Information Service. 

MORNING DIGEST 

TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2005 As speculation increases about an IRA statement this week UUP leader Sir Reg Empey said people would look for an end to all paramilitary and criminal activity.  He was speaking after his first meeting as leader with Tony Blair.  Irish News (P12), News Letter (P8,9), Belfast Telegraph (P10), Irish Times (P7), Times (P2), Sun (P2).  Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were also spotted coming out of Downing Street after holding private talks.  News Letter (P1,2), Daily Ireland (P3), Irish Times (P7), Irish Independent (P11), Mirror (P11)

In her weekly column Irish News (P10) Susan McKay says Sinn Féin are being disingenuous over Sean Kelly and although he may well be the victim of an injustice he isn't a hero.

DUP MLA Edwin Poots has warned again that 'the same old IRA statement will not suffice'.  News Letter (P9).

Program:    Sky News
Date & Time    26.07.05 (12.38)
Subject    IRA terror campaign
 

MEDIA

As you see it what’s the difference between this terror campaign and an equally vicious and ruthless one conducted by the IRA between the 70s, 80s and 90s?  And are you not in danger of unlearning the civil liberties lessons of the last thirty years and just to close how are you in your efforts to bring the IRA’s current terror campaign to a conclusive end?

TONY BLAIR

We just have to keep working on that.  We are working on it the whole time. Some times I think it invidious to make comparisons with one type of terrorism and another, terrorism is wrong full stop, I think it’s wrong. The killing of innocent civilians and what I’m about to say now does not in any way mitigate against what I’ve just said.  I truthfully condemn the IRA terrorism that there’s been over the past decade but I don’t usually compare the political demands of republicanism with the political demands of this terrorist ideology we’re facing now.

I mean the political demands of republicanism are demands that will be shared by many perfectly law abiding people who are nationalists, in the North and citizens of the South in Ireland.  These demands of this terrorist ideology are demands that, it’s not that they don’t have demands, they’re just none that any serious person could ever negotiate on and that’s just an end to it. 

And I think there is another difference which I noted, this is the reason why Sept. 11 for me was the time when policy had to change definitively.  It can be, I mean I hope you don’t misrepresent or misunderstand what I’m about to say, but I don’t think the IRA would ever have set about trying to kill 3,000 people. 

Three people is wrong, one person is wrong, don’t misunderstand what I’m saying, but I think the difference with this terrorism is that the combination of modern technology and the willingness to kill without limit makes this an appreciably different threat.  Because these people when they killed over 50 people on the London Underground and on the bus, I mean 500, they would have preferred 500 to 50.

That’s the difference with them.  And in America if it had been 30,000 not 3,000 they would have preferred that and one of the reasons why, and I can refer you back to a speech I made I think in March, 2004, where I explained how whether people like it or not, agreed or not with the decision on Iraq my entire thinking changed post Sept. 11 is that the belief that you have a different form of terrorism.  Not to say that it’s, you justify any sort of terrorism but it’s different.  I think it is different in its political demands and most essentially it’s different in the way that it operates and in the numbers of people it’s prepared to kill.

News Digest

July 26, 2005

Politics

The IRA's political demands or their previous atrocities could not be directly compared to Al Qaida fundamentalists, Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday.  Unionists have criticized what they have called Tony Blair's double standards on terrorism as an insult to victims of the troubles.  Irish News P29, see also News Letter Pgs 1&2, Irish Times P8, Irish Independent P14.  Provisionals just as bad as any other terrorists. News Letter P8.  Director of Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (FAIR) William Frazier has accused the Prime Minister of devaluing the suffering of IRA victims and called on Mr. Blair to apologize. News Letter P8.  Sinn Féin has reacted angrily to republicans being equated to Al Qaida by DUP councilor.  Daily Ireland P12.

The British Government has been accused of double standards in apologizing for the killing of a Brazilian in London while the family of Peter McBride still wait for an apology.  Irish News P9.

The Republic's Justice Minister Michael McDowell said that Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams, Martin McGuiness and Martin Ferris have all stepped down as member of the IRA Army Council.  His comments were made at a Belfast press conference dealing with cross border Criminal Justice co-operation.  Irish News P5, see also Times P10, Financial Times P4, Daily Mirror P14.  Unionists attack Adams over IRA resignation. Daily Telegraph P2.

The IRA must give up all its weapons if there's to be a significant political break through in the North the organization was warned last night. Daily Ireland P4, Belfast Telegraph P12, Irish Star P2, Irish Times P7. Government won't tolerate fudge by IRA says McDowell. Irish Independent P14. 

The DUP and the Irish Government both warned the IRA yesterday that it would take more than a statement before republicans could be said to be embracing politics.  News Letter P8.

IRA on the brink of ending paramilitary activity and decommissioning its arsenal.  Irish Independent P5, see also Guardian P11.

In a platform piece in Daily Ireland it states that it seems a wonder that the IRA is still considering a peaceful and democratic path given the dizzying up surge in loyalist violence and the official response to it. Daily Ireland P20. 

In a platform piece in the Irish Times, Vincent Browne states that the IRA is not going to disband and may still retain some of its weapons.  Irish Times P12. 

In a platform piece in the Irish Independent Sam Smyth states that even if abandonment of arms struggle and decommissioning take place the question of IRA's criminality will still remain.  Irish Independent P23.

Sinn Féin and republicanism will be weakened once the IRA tiger has been neutered and muzzled unionist Alex Kane said last night. News Letter P9.

The British and Irish Governments have signed an agreement on Criminal Justice cross border co-operation.  Irish News P5, see also News Letter P4, Daily Ireland P4, Belfast Telegraph P12.

Prime Minister Tony Blair is backing calls for cross border forensic experts to examine the Lisa Dorrian murder case.  News Letter P4, see also Belfast Telegraph Pgs 1&2, Irish Times P7.

An open letter in the Daily Ireland to Peter Hain criticizes the Secretary of State for the imprisonment of Sean Kelly.  Daily Ireland P19.

In his Wednesday column Brian Feeny comments that quangos in the North are overwhelmingly stuffed with unionists and political rejects from the NIO's front party.  Irish News P2

The unionist community was yesterday urged to end its boycott of the Parades Commission and apply for positions in the controversial body.  News Letter P13. 

The Parades Commission has come under attack after a County Londonderry band accused it of refusing to review a decision re-routing a planned parade in Maghera.  News Letter P13.

Official statistics obtained by Daily Ireland reveal that 6 years after the Good Friday Agreement approximately 529 illegal firearms were discovered in mainly unionist areas.  Daily Ireland Pgs 1&6.

Sinn Féin last night accused the British Government of stalling the publication of two reports detailing the progress of cross border co-operation since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.  Daily Ireland P14. 

McCartneys leave Short Strand.  Belfast Telegraph P24.

THURSDAY, JULY 28,  2005

News Digest

The Irish News, News Letter, Daily Ireland, together with the Irish Times, Irish Independent, The Times and The Sun all lead with the release of Sean Kelly and the anticipated IRA statement, while the Belfast Telegraph leads with loyalist threat to resume picket at Harryville Church in Ballymena.

 Sean Kelly Release/IRA Statement

Shankill bomber Sean Kelly was freed from prison last night ahead of an expected historic IRA statement today.  The republican was released from Magheraberry jail at around 8.45 p.m. in a development viewed as part of a carefully choreographed series of moves as the Provisionals prepare to end its 'arms struggle'..... An Phoblacht, Republican News, delayed printing its weekly edition until today.  Irish News Pgs 1&5, see also Irish Times P9, Irish Independent P1, Irish Star Pgs 2&8, Daily Mail P2, The Guardian P3. Betrayed - outrage as Shankill murderer walks free.  The Government last night released mass murderer Sean Kelly - admitting it was another concession to republicans.  Unionists and victims reacted with fury.  News Letter Pgs 1, 4&5, see also Daily Mirror P11.

The Provisional IRA is expected to announce today that it will abandon its 'arm struggle' in favor of trying to achieve a United Ireland through political means.  The Times Pgs 1&2, see also Irish Times Pgs 1&9, The Sun Pgs 1&2, Financial Times P2.  Republicans across Ireland are this morning anticipating one of the most significant developments in the modern history of the Irish Republican Army.  Daily Ireland Pgs 1&6.

The IRA must follow words with action if there's to be any real move forward, Sir Reg Empey warned last night ahead of the expected republican statement.  Belfast Telegraph P2.  The peace process is entering a "defining period" Sinn Féin's chief negotiator Martin McGuinness said yesterday. Martin McGuiness is expected to brief US Government officials and Congress in Washington today on the IRA's plans for its future.  Irish Times P9.

Editorials/Comment 

PM has sunk to a new low with release of killer Kelly - the release from prison last night of IRA killer Sean Kelly is yet another disgraceful capitulation by the Government to the insatiable demands of the republican movement.  News Letter P8.

It seems inconceivable that today's expected statement from the IRA will be anything other than positive - would that the same could be said for the response to it.  Daily Ireland P14.

It's just the start of a long road.  Deeds will be more important than words.  Belfast Telegraph P28.

Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair united as D-Day dawns for IRA, writes Jean McKenna in his comment P24 of Irish Independent.

In its editorial, The Independent P26 writes: In this terrorism plagued world, with the immense tribulations facing London, Leeds and now Birmingham, it is a small but distinct relief to hear of one conflict that is winding down rather than escalating.  The news from Belfast is that the IRA is now prepared to give up its guns and leave terrorism and criminality behind, enabling Sinn Féin to pursue republican aims through politics alone.

Jude Collins writes in his comment column (P15 Daily Ireland) that Peter Hain calls for end to all forms of criminality but was ponderous over withdrawing the PUP's Assembly allowance after recent UVF killings. 

Program:    Radio Ulster
Date & Time:    28.07.05 (11.00)
Subject:    Sean Kelly release

KEITH BURNSIDE

The DUP leader Ian Paisley has branded the release of Sean Kelly a Government sop to the IRA.  Mr. Paisley met the Secretary of State, Peter Hain, as the IRA prepares to release its statement on its future.  Speaking within the past few minutes he said the release had angered the unionist community.

IAN PAISLEY

We demand the very same action taken against these terrorists as you are taking against the terrorists in your side of the pond.  It must be the very same, there can be no bribing of them, there can be no giving in to them, there can be no dirty deals with them, there can be no more talks with them that lead nowhere, it’s action!

KEITH BURNSIDE

Meanwhile, the Government Minister, David Hanson, has denied that Sean Kelly’s release has been handled insensitively.  He said it’s all part of a wider process.

DAVID HANSON

I understand very clearly the pain that those families will have incurred through the incident.  There are many many families throughout the whole of Northern Ireland that have had pain and hurt upon them.  This process is about to try to resolve a peaceful future for Northern Ireland and there are decisions that are being taken now which will hopefully establish a much more peaceful settlement for the future with political control back here in Northern Ireland where it belongs.

Program:    GMU Jeffrey Donaldson
Date & Time:    28.7.05 8.15
Subject:    Sean Kelly’s release

WENDY AUSTIN

There has been reaction from Jeffrey Donaldson the DUP MP who had predicted that Sean Kelly would indeed be released.  Well he has been Mr. Donaldson and I understand your party leader is flying to London today to demand answers from the Government about why?

JEFFREY DONALDSON

Indeed that is the case, I have no doubt whatsoever that this decision smacks of political expediency.  I had the unenviable task last night of having to ring Michelle Williamson, who lost both of her parents in the Shankill bombing, to break the news to her that Sean Kelly had been released again.  She is absolutely devastated, there is no other way to describe it. She was in tears as we spoke on the phone last night, I just wish Peter Hain could have spoken to Michelle Williamson last night.  I don’t know what explanation he would give to the innocent victims, to the people who continue to suffer from Sean Kelly’s evil legacy.

The Northern Ireland Office have a statutory obligation to inform the families of the victims when these people are being released, yet they didn’t even have the courtesy to do that and Michelle Williamson and the other families are left to find out through people like myself, through the media, and that just shows you how much the Northern Ireland Office think of the victim.

WENDY AUSTIN

Sir Reg Empey, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, says that Sean Kelly’s release is the mother and father of concessions.  He said now that your party leader had very clearly said that there weren’t going to be any more concessions.  Well he obviously has no more clout, if you like, when it comes to preventing concessions than had the Ulster Unionist Party?

JEFFREY DONALDSON

I’m sorry, Wendy, and I regret that Reg Empey is seeking to make cheap political points out of what is a very serious issue.  But let’s be clear, it was Reg Empey as chief negotiator for the Ulster Unionists who conceded the early release of the prisoners.  So it’s a bit rich for Reg Empey to point the finger at my party when it was he and the negotiators at that time, and remember I opposed them on this issue, who supported and endorsed and voted for the early release of all the prisoners, including Sean Kelly.

Reg Empey’s fingerprints are all over this situation, so he needn’t try to seek solace or refuge behind attacks on the DUP who had nothing to do with this, in fact we were instrumental in persuading the Secretary of State to act on the evidence that he had from the security services and to put Sean Kelly back in prison.  The reason he’s released is because of the Belfast Agreement that Reg Empey signed up to and endorsed.

WENDY AUSTIN

It all shows though that deals will be done.  The Government wants to close the deal here, it wants to get the IRA, as Brian Rowan said earlier on, to say that it’s packing up its tent and going home.  In what terms does it have to put that today for your party to be prepared to take even the first steps down the road towards bringing back devolution?

JEFFREY DONALDSON

Well, Wendy, just before I address that, and I will, let me just say this. To demonstrate the political expediency of this decision Ken Barrett who is in prison for murdering Pat Finucane is eligible for early release under the Belfast Agreement, yet he is being kept in prison.

Why, because he’s a loyalist who murdered a Roman Catholic solicitor with connections with families, strong family connections with the IRA, and yet you can murder nine innocent Protestants on the Shankill Road, be a member of the IRA and you are released early and this just shows the double standards that the Northern Ireland Office operate when it comes to addressing these issues.

WENDY AUSTIN

Well of course there were all kinds of prisoners released at that time.  But anyway you said that you would address this business of what does the IRA have to say today?

JEFFREY DONALDSON

Well let me say first of all that the release of Sean Kelly does have implications in our response to what the IRA will say today and it will have consequences.  We need the IRA to be absolutely clear here, Barney Rowan talked about the need for clarity, no more ambiguity from the IRA.  We need to know that their campaign of terrorism is at an end, that all terrorist activity, and I mean all terrorist activity, will cease and that there will be decommissioning of the weapons of the IRA in a proper and verifiable manner. 

In a manner that will command public confidence, that’s what we need to know and that all of their criminal activity has come to an end.  That’s the kind of things we need to hear from the IRA today, we will obviously assess the IRA statement, we will make our response to it, but Wendy, we will not judge the IRA by the words of today, we will judge the IRA by their actions in the coming weeks and months.  We will look very carefully to see if what they have said is matched by what they do because we know in the past they have said one thing and done another.

WENDY AUSTIN

And what of decommissioning because before Christmas you were within a Polaroid, if you like, of doing a deal?  There’s no indication that there are going to be any photographs this time, there doesn’t even seem to be any particular indication that there are going to be independent observers of any decommissioning that takes place.  So what are you expecting there?

JEFFREY DONALDSON

Well, Wendy, with respect, it wasn’t a Polaroid we were looking for, photographic evidence and that meant a series of photographs published so that the public could see what had happened.  I suspect what will happen is that the IRA, once again, will conduct the decommissioning in secret and that the impact on the community will be that there is skepticism, continuing skepticism because of course we’ve heard it all before, that the IRA have decommissioned but yet we can’t know what they’ve done, how they’ve done it, how may weapons have been decommissioned and I think that actually is damaging to the process and if the IRA does decommission in secret without verification by independent witnesses, without some form of clear evidence to persuade the public that this time it’s for real, then it will prolong the period over which we will have to make judgments about what the IRA are doing and whether or not they genuinely have ended their campaign of terrorism for good.

WENDY AUSTIN

Just finally and briefly, Jeffrey Donaldson, we’re talking about all of this while a loyalist feud is going on which has cost £1m, there are police on the ground in an estate in Holywood as we speak.  There were scenes which were described as, your party’s deputy leader earlier in the week, I think it’s disgraceful.  How do you deal with all of that in the context of this, how do you reach a stable loyalist leadership, as Brian Rowan was talking about, which might even be able to react to this?

JEFFREY DONALDSON

Well sadly I think there are those within the leadership of the loyalist paramilitary groups who really have lost the plot, they’ve turned in on themselves, the feuding, the fighting.  I can tell you in the unionist community, people are absolutely appalled, Wendy.  There’s only one way you can deal with it and that’s through proper policing.

I welcome what the police have done in Holywood, I only wish it had been done in East Belfast earlier.  There is no way we can allow any paramilitary organization to rule any area in Northern Ireland and if the loyalist paramilitaries are not prepared to end all of their terrorist and criminal activities then the police must use the full rule of law to deal with that situation, and if they do they will have the support of the unionist community just at they have in the past.

Program:    Good Morning Ulster
Date & Time:    28.07.05
Subject:    IRA moves and political developments
 

  JIM FITZPATRICK

Now, Brian I don’t see any statements poking out of your back pocket at the moment, but what do you believe will be in Mr. P O’Neill’s latest and perhaps last message?

BRIAN ROWAN

I’m not sure if it’ll be his last statement because I think the decommissioning process will flow after this statement today.  But I think we’re now just a matter of hours away from the IRA statement.  I think in whatever words the IRA chooses, this statement will have to mean that the armed struggle is over and I think what we’ll be looking at in this statement is, if you like, a handing over of the republican reins, the reins being handed over from the IRA to Sinn Féin in a move, in a shift that marks that move from armed struggle if you like to political struggle.

But I think it’s a very clear, and I was saying this to Wendy earlier this week, that this statement today has to be written in such a way that you will not need a dictionary to understand it.  It’ll have to be crystal clear, it has to mean the IRA’s packing up its tent and going home.

And some of this Jim is going to stick in the republican throat, there’s no question about that, because there will be people within the IRA who see all of what’s developing over the next day and coming days as being about a move to eventually do political business with Ian Paisley and a move which will be about eventually endorsing new policing.  So if anyone thinks this is going to be an easy ride for the IRA and for the republican movement it’s not going to be that.

 JIM FITZPATRICK

And before I come to Mark, Brian let me just ask you about the specifics again, the arms question.  How do you believe the arms will be got rid of?

BRIAN ROWAN

Well you’ll remember last December Jim that the idea was to deal with the decommissioning process within a matter of a few short weeks.  I think that while the issue will be dealt with quickly it may not be dealt with just that quickly because last December there was a political pressure and a political timeline because this was a move towards restoring devolution within a matter of weeks.

This is not about restoring devolution in a matter of weeks.  Of course it will involve General De Chastelain and Andrew Sens  To the best of my knowledge it will not involve any photographic proof of decommissioning. But you’ll remember that last year the IRA said it was prepared to introduce new church witnesses to give that additional transparency and credibility to the process.  I’m not certain that the IRA will allow that to happen, but I certainly think it’s a possibility.

JIM FITZPATRICK

Mark you’ve heard what Brian has been outlining there.  Both in terms of words and deeds, is this going to be enough to satisfy unionists?

MARK DEVENPORT

I think unionists have already given, for instance, the release of Sean Kelly a pretty dusty response and I suspect that they will be pretty skeptical about the words that they will be hearing later today.  I mean for instance we know that Ian Paisley’s going to have a meeting with Peter Hain early on this morning.  He’s already labeled the release of Sean Kelly as a downright disgrace and he’s said by DUP sources to be incandescent about it. So it doesn’t kind of mean that there’s going to be a ready market as it were for this statement amongst the unionists.

At the same time I think probably the British and Irish Governments will hope that this statement can be sold over a period of time to unionists. But they will certainly be, if you like, elongating what they have called their decontamination period, because you know one should stress if one goes back say to the decommissioning that Brian was talking about there, this is not exactly what was under discussion in December.

Obviously there are no photographs of the kind that Ian Paisley was demanding.  I was being told last night that back in December the DUP had actually identified a church minister who they felt would be acceptable as a witness to decommissioning and that person has not been approached this time. 

So even if there are religious witnesses if you like they won’t be of the DUP’s choosing.  So all of that I then think will be translated probably into the DUP playing fairly hard to get, on the other side of this statement.

JIM FITZPATRICK

Now Mark one word that’s often used at these sorts of times is choreography, and in fact with the release of Sean Kelly people have been saying this is maybe the first step in it.  But if you think about choreography this is less of a ballet and perhaps more of a hokey kokey.  When is this whole dance going to end?

MARK DEVENPORT

It could take a period of months, not only as Brian was saying will decommissioning potentially take a little bit of time in terms of the actual mechanics of it, but then you have the whole business of trying to persuade the unionists to take this on it’s merits.

What we will have is a report from the Independent Monitoring Commission in October and then another report in the spring, although I’m told it may be pulled forward to quite early in the New Year.  So two chances for the Independent Monitoring Commission to say whether IRA activity has indeed come to an end. 

And I think the Governments would want on either the first or the second of those reports to try to encourage the DUP towards some sort of dialogue. And we do know looking back in December that there is a plan there on the cards to try and reinvigorate the Assembly maybe in some shadow form.

It’s not clear whether that will happen this time because I think the Government has some doubts about the DUP talking about a scrutiny Assembly that’ll keep the Direct Rule Ministers under watch.  But it’s possible that the Assembly and it’s committees could play a role, for instance, if you wanted to provide a bit of cloud cover for the DUP discussing matters such as policing and justice in the same room as Sinn Féin.  So that’s possible, but certainly I think we’re going to see quite some lengthy talks being kicked off by this statement.

JIM FITZPATRICK

Brian, this release of Sean Kelly demonstrates perhaps where the political and security worlds merge in Northern Ireland.  What are the ramifications of that and in light of the context with trouble with loyalists and the feud and so on?

BRIAN ROWAN

I think it was quite simple, and again we discussed it here earlier in the week, that unless Sean Kelly got out the IRA statement wasn’t going to emerge.  He’s out at this stage on temporary release.  This case still has to be reviewed by the Sentence Review Commission and my understanding is that Sean Kelly’s legal team will present papers to the Commission this morning. 

The loyalist question, Jim, is a huge question.  You know coming into work this morning, past part of Holywood that’s surrounded by police and army vehicles, they’re there to prevent a repeat of what happened in Garnerville where the UVF moved in in big numbers to force out LVF families.  Now I think while today’s IRA statement will help in terms of the higher politics of this place, it’s going to have very little impact on the loyalist ground.

And as I was saying to Wendy earlier in the week, that unless people begin to address, begin to look more seriously as what’s going on within loyalism, that problem is just going to become more and more difficult and I think there is a need to try and bring loyalism back to where it was in 1994, that stable leadership it had where it responded to IRA initiatives of this kind. But today I don’t think the loyalist community is going to welcome anything the IRA says with open arms.

Program:    Sky News
Date & Time    28.07.05 (11.00 a.m.)
Subject    IRA Statement is it forthcoming

JULIE EDINGHAM

And Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has said that the statement expected shortly from the IRA will challenge Irish republicans and nationalists as well as the British and Irish Governments.  He appealed to everyone to read what the organization had to say and remain united and steadfast.  He confirmed that that statement will come later today.

MARTIN STANFORD

Julie let’s just read to you what Gerry Adams, Sinn Féin president, has been saying in a statement he’s released in the last few minutes.

"The forthcoming IRA statement,"  he says, " will challenge Irish republicans and nationalists.  I appeal to everyone to carefully read what the Army has to say and to remain united and steadfast."  The Gerry Adams statement goes on, "the IRA statement will also challenge others, especially the two Governments and the unionists, the Dublin political establishment in particular will have a lot of soul searching to do if those in political leadership are to meet the needs of the upcoming period."

Now that is Gerry Adams’ statement, we understand Mr. Adams is in Dublin this morning, perhaps to speak to the press in full once this statement has been released from the IRA.  We also understand of course Martin McGuinness, we saw pictures of him leaving this country to go off to the United States, where we understand he will be holding a series of meetings and perhaps explaining the position, or his perspective on this position to the America authorities. 

Meetings I think scheduled on his diary for Washington, the political establishment there, also meetings in New York as well, with contacts from Irish republicanism in the United States.  So we are poised, and certainly the anticipation that this statement might be forthcoming this week, then it was narrowed down to perhaps today, it does certainly seem it’s going to be in a matter of hours or perhaps minutes away now with Gerry Adams making these comments this morning.

BUSH TALKS TO PAISLEY AND ADAMS
07/29/05 10:57 EST

President George W. Bush phoned Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams today to urge him to follow through with action after the IRA's decision to disarm.

"They had a good discussion and the president stressed that this is an important opportunity to seize," said White House press secretary Scott McClellan. "The president talked about the importance of moving forward with action." 

Yesterday, Mr. Bush also talked on the phone with Democratic Unionist Party leader Rev Ian Paisley.

"The president talked about our support for the statement that the IRA put out yesterday on ending its armed campaign," Mr. McClellan said.

Meanwhile, the Independent Monitoring Commission today said that the IRA statement was potentially very significant. The complete text of the IMC's statement follows: 

"We have read the statement issued by the Provisional IRA on 28 July 2005.

"It is potentially a very significant statement to the extent that it results in the Provisional IRA ending all forms of illegal activity.

"We note the instructions to all Provisional IRA members and the role played by the leadership of Sinn Féin in the achievement of the statement.

"It is the task of the IMC to monitor illegal activity by all paramilitary groups, and we will monitor the consequences of this statement as part of that role. In doing so we will have in mind the considerations about stopping such activity we listed in our Fifth Report published in May, namely whether a group has stopped using violence in any form, committing other crimes, recruiting or training members, gathering intelligence, targeting people, procuring material, and exiling or intimidating people.

"We are currently scheduled to deliver one of our regular six monthly reports to the British and Irish Governments this coming October, which for the most part will cover the period to the end of August. Following the Provisional IRA statement the British and Irish Governments have asked us for a further report in January 2006, which we will deliver to them."

TEXT OF THE IRA STATEMENT OF 28 JULY AS IT APPEARED ON THE SKY NEWS WEBSITE

The IRA issued the following statement confirming that it was ending its armed struggle:

"The leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann has formally ordered an end to the armed campaign.

This will take effect from 4 p.m. this afternoon.

All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms.

All Volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.

The IRA leadership has also authorized our representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible. 

We have invited two independent witnesses, from the Protestant and Catholic churches, to testify to this.

The Army Council took these decisions following an unprecedented internal discussion and consultation process with IRA units and Volunteers.

We appreciate the honest and forthright way in which the consultation process was carried out and the depth and content of the submissions. We are proud of the comradely way in which this truly historic discussion was conducted. 

The outcome of our consultations show very strong support among IRA Volunteers for the Sinn Féin peace strategy. There is also widespread concern about the failure of the two governments and the unionists to fully engage in the peace process. This has created real difficulties. 

The overwhelming majority of people in Ireland fully support this process. They and friends of Irish unity throughout the world want to see the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

Notwithstanding these difficulties our decisions have been taken to advance our republican and democratic objectives, including our goal of a united Ireland. 

We believe there is now an alternative way to achieve this and to end British rule in our country.  It is the responsibility of all Volunteers to show leadership, determination and courage. We are very mindful of the sacrifices of our patriot dead, those who went to jail, Volunteers, their families and the wider republican base.

We reiterate our view that the armed struggle was entirely legitimate. We are conscious that many people suffered in the conflict. There is a compelling imperative on all sides to build a just and lasting peace. The issue of the defense of nationalist and republican communities has been raised with us. There is a responsibility on society to ensure that there is no re-occurrence of the pogroms of 1969 and the early 1970s. There is also a universal responsibility to tackle sectarianism in all its forms. 

The IRA is fully committed to the goals of Irish unity and independence and to building the Republic outlined in the 1916 Proclamation. We call for maximum unity and effort by Irish republicans everywhere. We are confident that by working together Irish republicans can achieve our objectives. 

Every Volunteer is aware of the import of the decisions we have taken and all Óglaigh are compelled to fully comply with these orders.  There is now an unprecedented opportunity to utilize the considerable energy and goodwill which there is for the peace process.

This comprehensive series of unparalleled initiatives is our contribution to this and to the continued endeavors to bring about independence and unity for the people of Ireland."

TRANSCRIPT OF A STATEMENT MADE BY  THE PRIME MINISTER AFTER THE IRA'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IT IS TO GIVE UP THE ARMED STRUGGLE IN DOWNING STREET ON THURSDAY, 28 JULY 2005

PRIME MINISTER Good afternoon everyone.  I have got a short statement to read.

This may be the day when finally, after all the false dawns and dashed hopes, peace replaced war, politics replaces terror on the island of Ireland.

I welcome the statement of the IRA that ends its campaign, I welcome its clarity, I welcome the recognition that the only route to political change lies in exclusively peaceful and democratic means.  This is a step of unparalleled magnitude in the recent history of Northern Ireland.  The Unionist community in particular and all of us throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom will want to see this clear statement of principle kept to in practice.

The instruction in the IRA statement that volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever will be taken as a forthright denunciation of any activity, paramilitary or criminal.

The Independent Monitoring Commission is in place to ensure that what is said is what is done.  Decommissioning must be completed, as the statement says. as soon as possible.  The Commission on Decommissioning will verify that.

But the statement is of a different order than anything before.  It is what we have striven for and worked for throughout the eight years since the Good Friday Agreement.

It creates the circumstances in which the Institutions can be revived. Unionism will want to know that these circumstances are permanent and verified.  But if in time they are, then proper devolved democratic government should be restored to Northern Ireland.

Of course there will continue to be fundamental disagreement about the past.  The IRA believe that their means were justified.  The rest of us do not and we remember today the many thousands of victims of their campaign.  But the best way to serve the memory of victims is to make the future brighter, and there is at least some hope today that the future will indeed be such as to banish the ghastly and futile violence from Northern Ireland for ever.

Thank you.

July 28, 2005 

KENNEDY STATEMENT ON IRA DISARMAMENT
(Delivered on Senate Floor Today)

  I welcome today’s IRA statement. Hopefully, this statement means we’re finally nearing the end of this very long process to take guns and criminality out of politics in Northern Ireland once and for all.   I look forward to the final act of decommissioning, and the verification that paramilitary activity and criminality have ended, and the all-important restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly.   Peace and violence cannot coexist in Northern Ireland, and all who care about peace and stability look forward to these final actions.

— Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) 

TRANSCRIPT OF A STATEMENT MADE BY THE PRIME MINISTER AFTER THE IRA'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IT IS TO GIVE UP THE ARMED STRUGGLE

Downing Street, Thursday, 28 JULY 2005

PRIME MINISTER 

Good afternoon everyone. I have got a short statement to read.

This may be the day when finally, after all the false dawns and dashed hopes, peace replaced war, politics replaces terror on the island of

Ireland. I welcome the statement of the IRA that ends its campaign, I welcome its clarity, I welcome the recognition that the only route to political 

change lies in exclusively peaceful and democratic means. This is a step of unparalleled magnitude in the recent history of Northern

Ireland. The Unionist community in particular and all of us throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom will want to see this clear statement of

principle kept to in practice.

 The instruction in the IRA statement that volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever will be taken as a forthright denunciation of any activity, paramilitary or criminal.

The Independent Monitoring Commission is in place to ensure that what is said is what is done. Decommissioning must be completed, as the statement says as soon as possible. The Commission on Decommissioning will verify that. 

But the statement is of a different order than anything before. It is what we have striven for and worked for throughout the eight years since the Good Friday Agreement. 

It creates the circumstances in which the Institutions can be revived. Unionism will want to know that these circumstances are permanent and verified. But if in time they are, then proper devolved democratic government should be restored to Northern Ireland.

Of course there will continue to be fundamental disagreement about the past. The IRA believe that their means were justified. The rest of us

do not and we remember today the many thousands of victims of their campaign. But the best way to serve the memory of victims is to make

the future brighter, and there is at least some hope today that the future will indeed be such as to banish the ghastly and futile violence

from Northern Ireland for ever.

Thank you. 

July 28, 2005

Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern have released a joint statement welcoming the IRA's announcement to end its armed campaign. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Good Friday Agreement. They said: "The two Governments are committed to its full implementation. It is our intention to work closely in partnership to grasp this opportunity to inject renewed momentum into the process."

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER AND THE TAIOSEACH

"We welcome today's developments concerning the IRA. "The end of the IRA as a paramilitary organization is the outcome the Governments have been working towards since the cessation of military activity in 1994. We acknowledge the significance of the IRA statement. Both Governments are hopeful that the practical elements of this statement will be implemented in the terms set out. If the IRA's words are borne out by actions, it will be a momentous and historic development.

"We also acknowledge that trust has been damaged and will take time to rebuild. Independent verification will be vitally important to enable trust and confidence to be restored. Vital roles in the verification process will be played by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and the Independent Monitoring Commission. We have asked the IMC to produce an additional report in January, 2006, three months after their next regular report. Their reports will help the Governments to assess whether all paramilitary and criminal activity on the part of the IRA has come to a decisive end and whether decommissioning has been fully completed.

"Verified acts of completion will provide a context in which we will expect all parties to work towards the full operation of the political institutions, including the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, and the North-South structures, at the earliest practicable date.

"We also expect all parties and community leaders to use their influence to bring loyalist paramilitary and criminal activity to an end, including the full decommissioning of weapons.

"The normalization of society in Northern Ireland also requires that all parts of the community support and enjoy the protection of the police. It is more important than ever that progress is made in extending support across all sections of the community for the new policing arrangements throughout Northern Ireland.

"There has been great progress in recent years. The benefits of the Good Friday Agreement for the people of Ireland have been immense. The two Governments are committed to its full implementation. It is our intention to work closely in partnership to grasp this opportunity to inject renewed momentum into the process.

"We urge all political leaders, and everyone with a genuine interest in bringing peace and stability to Northern Ireland, to join with us in our determination to ensure continued and rapid progress." 

July 28, 2005

U.S. URGED TO PROMOTE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT IN RESPONSE TO IRA ANNOUNCEMENT

In a statement issued July 28, 2005, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) pledged to dump all its weapons and to exclusively use political means to achieve its goals of a united Ireland.  The Irish Americans Unity Conference (IAUC) implores the Bush Administration and Congress to respond to this historic breakthrough that signals the end of 35 years of conflict in Northern Ireland.

The IRA statement said in part: "All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All Volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.

"The IRA leadership has also authorized our representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible.

"We have invited two independent witnesses, from the Protestant and Catholic churches, to testify to this."

In a statement responding to this development, Retired Judge Andrew Somers, president of the IAUC, said:

"We encourage the U.S. government to resume a leadership role in the peace process.  Based on the IRA's long-term cease-fire and its recent statement, we believe that the US should encourage Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party to work within the context of the Northern Irish Assembly.

"If the DUP is not willing to sit in government with all the duly elected parties, then the U.S. government must encourage the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference to take over the temporary administration of Northern Ireland. That joint authority should, in our opinion, continue until the elected representatives agree to work within the framework of the Northern Irish Assembly that was democratically approved in 1998 in the Good Friday Agreement.

"Based on the IRA's substantial and significant commitments, the Good Friday Agreement should be fully implemented by the British and Irish governments with no more excuses.  The sections needing urgent attention include the following:

:: putting into service all the cross border administrative provisions,

:: demilitarizing the border counties, and

:: completing the policing reforms included in the Patten Commission's Report."

The full IRA statement can be found at: http://www.iauc.org/ira07-05.htm

The Irish American Unity Conference is a non-partisan, non- sectarian, American based human rights organization working for peace and justice for the people of the six counties in the north of Ireland.   Web:   http://www.iauc.org

LOYALISTS RISK BEING LEFT BEHIND – HAIN
07/29/05 14:06 EST

Feuding loyalist paramilitaries will be left behind unless they call a halt to their bitter power struggle, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain warned tonight. 

Mr. Hain urged the terror organizations waging a turf war on the streets of Belfast that has left two men dead to step back from self destruction.

Even though the focus has been on the IRA's announcement that it was ending its armed struggle, tensions between the rival Ulster Volunteer Force and Loyalist Volunteer Force have been dangerously high.

Hundreds of paramilitaries laid siege to an east Belfast housing estate to force families associated with their enemies to flee their homes, and police have staged major security operations in Holywood, Co Down, in a bid to prevent any repeat.

Mr. Hain hit out at the intimidation and violence being carried out by men claiming to represent their own communities.

"This has to stop. Loyalism will be left behind if it doesn't step back from the self -destruct mode that it is currently engaged in," he said.

"No longer can there be areas plagued with feuds and murders - gangsters masquerading as Loyalism."

The Secretary of State insisted he wanted to see all sides abandon paramilitary activity and criminality following the IRA's decision to ditch its guns for good. 

"We recognize the fact that there are many issues affecting loyalist areas and we have set up structures at ministerial level to help to address them," he said. "How can there be constructive political engagement in an atmosphere of murder and mayhem? I want to make Northern Ireland a world class place that its people deserves. Loyalism needs to move with the times and bring itself forward into the new future that is on offer in Northern Ireland." 

July 29, 2005

NORTHERN IRELAND INFORMATION SERVICE

MORNING DIGEST 

FRIDAY JULY 29,  2005

News Digest. All papers are dominated by the IRA statement.

IRA Statements

The IRA's move has not been rejected outright by unionists.  They reacted cautiously to the statement with the DUP saying it would judge the IRA's bona fides over "the next month's and years" based on its behavior and activity.  Tony Blair declared "Today may be the day that ... politics replaced terror" and called it "a step of unprecedented magnitude."  Bertie Ahern said that the end of the IRA as a paramilitary organization is what both Governments had worked for whilst George Bush said that the statement must be followed by actions.  Irish News P3.  The News Letter P7 also reports that the IRA's assertion that its murder campaign was legitimate was wrong according to Tony Blair.

Gerry Adams said that the statement presented a "direct challenge to the DUP" whilst Martin McGuinness focused on the Governments saying they had "an urgent duty to implement the Agreement in all its aspects."  Irish News P4

In further reaction to the statement Mark Durkan said it was "vital" that the IRA delivered on their promises quickly whilst David Ford said it was "a move in the right direction" although the statement did not address criminality and policing.  Peter Hain noted the significance of the absence of any conditionality in the statement whilst Michael McDowell said that the IRA was still an illegal organization and must hand over its criminal assets including the £26.5 million from the Northern Bank heist.  Irish News P5, 6. Minister McDowell has also given the go ahead for the Criminal Assets Bureau in the south to recruit additional personnel to track down IRA assets. Irish Independent P8

The Irish News P6 reports that reaction from former IRA prisoners was generally approving.  The statement was also welcomed by PUP leader, David Ervine who noted that it was the first time the IRA has "done something first rather than waiting on others to act."  Daily Ireland P8.  The sentiment that actions would speak louder than words was echoed by a sister of Robert McCartney who said the organization was still shielding IRA volunteers from the police investigation.  Irish News P7.  Sir Hugh Orde admitted that some people would require "a lot of convincing" before the IRA has gone for good.  News Letter P7

The one hostile reaction comes from republican Sinn Féin who have described the statement as "treachery."  Daily Ireland P8

Calls were already starting last night for loyalists to follow suit. However UDA Brigadier, Jackie McDonald said loyalists would be suspicious of what republicans had received from the British Government in response to yesterday's announcement.  Irish News P9.  Fionnuala O'Connor writing in the Irish Times P16 asks "where now for loyalism."

In its statement the IRA said it was re-engaging with General de Chastelain, a move which could see disarmament by the end of the year.  Irish News P8. Peter Hain meanwhile has said that Independent Monitoring Commission reports in October and then January will be significant in gauging whether criminality has ceased.  Irish News P9

Stephen Dempster writing in the News Letter P6 says that whilst it is a significant statement the IRA still have not gone away you know.

Chris Thornton writing in the Belfast Telegraph P11 notes that Ian Paisley "didn't exactly issue a stark rejection" of the statements.

The Irish Independent P8 reports that whilst amnesty may be granted to 40 'on the runs' there has been no early release date set for the killers of Garda Jerry McCabe as part of the deal.

Editorials and Opinion pieces

This marks a step closer to the goal of lasting peace however, republicans should not be surprised at skepticism among unionists.  Irish News P2

IRA actions must speak louder than their words.  News Letter P8

A bold response from unionism is needed.  Daily Ireland P16

Only actions will show if history is being made.  Belfast Telegraph P2

There has been muted response to the statement but if the IRA lives up to what it has said it will mark a new beginning.  Irish Independent P30

IRA deeds must now match its words.  Daily Telegraph P27

There is new hope for the peace process.  Financial Times P16

A statement that has been a long time coming could be a defined moment if words are translated into actions.  The Irish Times P17

The abandonment of the armed campaign is an immense and resonant event.  The Guardian P27 

Weasel words are not enough.  Daily Mail P14

The IRA has finally admitted defeat.  The Sun P4

The IRA statement if implemented can revive the peace process.  The Times P19 

Only a man of Tony Blair's double standards could claim to be spear heading the war on terror while acting as a cheer leader for the IRA. News Letter P1 comment 

In a platform piece in the News Letter P9, Ian Paisley says that unionists won't be "hoodwinked like Mr. Blair."

Ruth Dudley Edwards writing in the Daily Mail P14 tells Tony Blair that "there IS no such thing as a good terrorist."

Sean Kelly 

The head of the Northern Ireland Prison Service has apologized to a woman who lost both parents in a Shankill bomb for not informing her of Sean Kelly's release.  Irish News P15.  The release was greeted with anger on the Shankill Road.  News Letter P3 whilst Hugh Orde distanced himself from the decision saying it had been taken by the Government. News Letter P10

Victims groups have also been critical of the decision whilst DUP MEP Jim Allister has questioned its legality.  News Letter P10, 11

Peter Hain has defended his decision.  Belfast Telegraph P22, Irish Times P8.

Program:    Radio 4 Today
Date & Time:    29.07.05 (07.13)
Subject:    IRA statement

JUSTIN WEBB

Senator George Mitchell is the man who chaired the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement.  He’s still a frequent visitor to the province, is widely admired there.  Is there anything in the IRA statement which concerns him?

SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL

I think it’s very important to take this as a positive step forward, provided that the subsequent actions match the words.  But I think it is significant if that happens because then the opportunity exists to restart the process, to resume self govern in Northern Ireland and move towards full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

JUSTIN WEBB

As you see it, when you say the actions should match the words, the words on decommissioning for instance, all IRA units have been ordered to dump arms but nothing about the precise handing over or destruction of weapons.  What do you believe should happen?

SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL

Whatever happens has to be independently verified.  It isn’t so much the specific arms themselves, arms are (unclear) and you can disarm today and arm tomorrow.  What is important is the confidence that’s needed that will be created by independent verification of decommissioning.

JUSTIN WEBB

Do you believe the issue of whether or not this process is filmed is a red herring?

SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL

That’s something for the parties to decide.  I spent several years at this process with the same people and I can tell you it’s very tough to get them to agree on anything.  Really what they’re trying to do is establish a level of confidence sufficient to enable them to go into Government together and operate by exclusively democratic and peaceful means.  I believe that can be done.

JUSTIN WEBB

And how soon do you believe it would be reasonable to ask the unionists to go into Government together with Sinn Féin again?

SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL

Only the parties themselves can decide that but I think there’s no reason why there should be any long delay in the next step, which involves decommissioning.  How decommissioning occurs, whether it in fact creates the confidence needed or intensifies the skepticism, will go a long way to answering the question you’ve just asked.

JUSTIN WEBB

But if there is a reasonable amount of confidence then you see no reason why there shouldn’t be a devolved Government, involving Sinn Féin within what, months?

 SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL

Oh I hope so.  It’s long been overdue.  I was in Belfast just a couple of weeks ago, I had my children with me and I told them that my hope is that when we come back next summer as we do every summer that I’ll be able to take you over to see the Assembly in action.  I confess it’s taken longer than I thought. 

I knew there’d be steps forward and backwards, a bit perhaps more backwards than I’d hoped and fewer forward, but I think it’s quite clear that both communities recognize that their self interest is served by moving this process forward.  Whatever one thinks about the conflict, it’s over, it ought to be over and the way forward is through the democratic process.   Program:    Radio 4 Bertie Ahern
Date & Time:    29.07.05 (08.10)
Subject:    Reaction to IRA statement

INTERVIEWER

Momentous, historic, unprecedented, the Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, did not mince his words when responding to the IRA’s statement but he added the IRA’s words would have to be matched with deeds is his gut feeling, but words will match deeds this time round?

BERTIE AHERN

It is, that’s the short answer to it and the reason is because we have been around this particular aspect and this area of trying to get trust and confidence back into the Good Friday Agreement for two and a half years. We’ve been a long time at a peace process, both Prime Minister Blair and I, but this particular part has been two and a half years now.

I think it has been very clear what we required, that decommissioning had to be dealt with, that the IRA had to move to a new mode and that we have to see exclusively peaceful means being followed in future.  So I think there’s no ambiguity, there’s no need for any more clarity and I think the statement of the IRA is not conditional as so many others used to be in the past.

INTERVIEWER

You say there’s no ambiguity, they don’t condemn do they, or they don’t promise to stay clear of all criminality in the future.  I mean there is an area of ambiguity, isn’t there, in terms of their other activities, and I’m thinking of bank robberies, and I’m think of petty violence, I mean to what extent do you think this statement really does suggest and should suggest to people that all that is behind them as well?

BERTIE AHERN

Well insofar as the statement says it, we’re quite happy, because it does cover all of those issues that were covered in the Joint Declaration which is about 20 different categories.  They used the terminology that we’ve used with them, so I think we’re quite happy that their statement covers the point. 

Of course, it will be another day to see if this actually happens.  But luckily enough we have two very good monitoring bodies, both independent, both international, both who have been dealing with the Irish peace process now for a long number of years.

So it will become very clear within a matter of months whether the issues that are you know painstakingly negotiated to get to this statement today are actually happening, and I think that is the reason we’re all saying it’s not just words, we want to see it borne out by verified action.

INTERVIEWER

Let me ask you about a specific act of criminality, the December bank robbery, the Northern Bank robbery.  £26m, the money has not been returned, the IRA says that it wasn’t involved but the Independent Monitoring Commission, among others, believes that it was.  Should that money be paid back?

BERTIE AHERN

Well we’re quite clear and I think British Government too, but I can just give you the Irish Government’s view, that all activities that the IRA have carried out over the years and any assets that they have, all of those we will continue with full rigor of the law to proceed after those.  There is no amnesty, there’ll be no deal, there’ll be no side deal, anything that was got by illegal means by an illegal organization will continue to be followed, not just for the short term but for the long term.

 INTERVIEWER

So for the IRA not to be a pursued as an illegal organization in Ireland it must go further frankly than their statement does?

BERTIE AHERN

Yes, we’re not fighting about that today because we always said we wanted to see the IRA move to peaceful means and to stop the armed struggle and to disengage from all those activities.  But if the IRA wishes to stop the rigor, the full rigors of the law, what it needs to do is to examine the 1938 Act, Offense Against the State Act, which they’re very familiar with and they know how they can change that position.  But I’m not saying that’s for today but it is the only way that the IRA can fully comply with Irish law.

INTERVIEWER

I suppose there’ll be a suspicion among some, not least among unionists that actually there will be blind eyes turned in the future.  That in return for their statement in a way that the IRA will be allowed to get away with things that no other organization would have been allowed to get away with?

BERTIE AHERN

Well, no, I think whatever chances of that in the past I think life has moved on and now that will never be the case again.

INTERVIEWER

They say that they’re going to verifiably put arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence.  What they don’t say is exactly what that is and they don’t mention this act of decommissioning being filmed which of course has been a sticking point in the past.  What do you believe should be done?

BERTIE AHERN

Well we have always said that the greater the transparency on decommissioning the greater the confidence it will give everybody.  And we’re glad that witnesses from both traditions will be involved.  I think that is significant, is right that that happens but I also welcome it.

So, the carrying out of these IRA commitments will have to be objectively verified by the appropriate bodies and to do with the arms, that’s the international decommissioning, they have, not only are they a statutory body but they also have regulations in how they can do their work.  So it is for them to use the regulations and to satisfy themselves.

INTERVIEWER

But it doesn’t need to be filmed?

BERTIE AHERN

It does not, no.  It does not under the regulations.

INTERVIEWER

Do you not believe that for some unionists to be persuaded that this really is the big deal that you claim it is, that really it needs to be filmed?

BERTIE AHERN

No I don’t actually I think in any of the decommissioning matters what is important to us is that an independent body, now with witnesses I think that helps but the fact that there are witnesses in there to do it, that certainly will help to deal with it.  I’m most interested in seeing that the arms are gone and finished with and never used again and destroyed than any other method.

INTERVIEWER

In terms of politics now in Northern Ireland what do you believe will happen, should happen in the next 6 months say?

BERTIE AHERN

Over the next number of months the two commissions the decommissioning commission and the monitoring commission will report again.  I think they have two reports and obviously we’ll carefully monitor what they are saying.

That’s the first thing, then there are many other aspects of the Good Friday Agreement which I think we can get on with, which are set out in the Joint Declaration, which are responsibilities for both Governments to get on with implementing. 

We have a number that we have to do, the British Government have their commitments and we can get on with that.  Most of these issues have been on total stall since the springtime of 2003 and hopefully if the two bodies report in due course that things have turned out as per today’s statement then we’ll be able to try and get the institutions back up and running, but we can’t do that until we get those reports.

INTERVIEWER

What do you say to unionists who are skeptical about this statement and say we would want to wait a very long time indeed before we really believe that what the IRA says is going to happen, is actually happening?

BERTIE AHERN

Well I’ve always said I don’t think we’re going to build a trust and confidence overnight.  And I don’t think we’ll do it in a matter of weeks. But I do hope that over a period of months, as we see hopefully that all of these issues that have been stated today that they are fulfilled, then it should allow us to get back to the business of trying to implement the Good Friday Agreement and implement the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement.

INTERVIEWER

Prime Minister do you think there’ll be a united Ireland in your lifetime?

BERTIE AHERN

I hope we can move to a situation where the co-operation on this island on things that make sense, co-operate like we’re doing at the moment in tourism, I think on matters of trade, on things like electricity and health issues we should continue to try and build up our confidence over that period of time.  And then in another time people perhaps might, on the basis of consent, see that a united Ireland is the right thing to do.  It’s not going to happen in the short time, I don’t think it’ll happen in my political lifetime.

INTERVIEWER

If it does happen in another time as you put it then this step that took place yesterday is one of the dates that will be looked back at, perhaps the key date would you say that will be looked back as a step towards it?

BERTIE AHERN

If this is successful you know last night would have been the first night that the island of Ireland was not living under that threat that it has now for almost four decades of paramilitarism to the extent that the Provisional IRA brought into the whole history of the country in the last four decades. That has now moved to a new ground and I think that can only be seen for a democratic politician who has always been against violence of all kinds everywhere, it would be seen yesterday as a very important historic development.

Program:    Sky News
Date & Time:    29 July 05 (07.09)
Subject:    Secretary of State comments on the IRA’s statement

INTERVIEWER

We are joined now by the Northern Ireland Secretary, Peter Hain.  Good Morning Mr. Hain.  Can you understand the skepticism that has come along with this announcement?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Yes I can, especially from the victims who suffered so badly over the years and from unionists as well, who will want to know that these words are carried into practical deeds, closing down violence on the ground.  Because, although bombs and bullets haven’t been going off with the frequency that they used to, almost everyday in the bad old days, there is still too much intimidation in many communities, there is still too much IRA intelligence gathering, targeting and so on.

So we will have to see that closed down completely.  But I believe that’s possible and we will be verifying it very closely with an independent commission, checking on what is happening and then we can broaden out the debate on how we take the politics forward, how we get people sharing power with each other, we get much more normal policing and we get other initiatives.

INTERVIEWER

How long actually do you think all that will take?

 SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I hope to meet all the political parties, as I have been doing these last few days and weeks, leading up to this statement.  I hope to meet them all when they get back from their holidays in September, see where everybody feels things should be going.  In the meantime we will as I say, be waiting for a report in October and then one in January from the Independent Monitoring Commission trying to be certain that the action has been closed down following these historic words yesterday.

INTERVIEWER

Yes, historic words and a clear statement of intent, of course the worry is that there will be splinter groups that don’t want to follow that statement with intent.  How can you ensure that you have got those under control?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well there have already been two splinter groups over the years from the IRA, they are small groups, marginalized, and isolated even in their own communities but they

INTERVIEWER

But they might well be that they are the ones that are causing the damage?

SECRETARY OF STATE   It may well be that some people will walk away from the IRA as a result of this announcement, that the armed struggle in their words is over.  That may or may not happen but I am satisfied that the broad mass of republicans and the great majority of IRA members and supporters, because the consultation they conducted was so wide spread and the statement so unconditional that’s what is unprecedented 

INTERVIEWER

Why do you think it was, why do you think they have taken this decision and they have made it so clear of that statement of intent?

SECRETARY OF STATE

They’ve realized that the days of the bombs and the bullets and the terror are over.  We are now in a new world of suicide bombings and panic and terror in London, of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre.  In a democratic society like Britain and Northern Ireland you do not get anywhere by that kind of terror, so they have realized they can’t win that way and also I think republicans have come through a whole generation of violence and blood and terror and realize that actually the only way they can put there arguments is through the ballot box, through democratic and peaceful means as the statement said yesterday.  Let’s wait and see whether it is delivered on the ground.  I understand some skepticism but I think there’s a new future opening up for Northern Ireland and that’s very optimistic.

Program: NEWSNIGHT
Date & Time: 28 July 05 (22.50)
Subject Taoiseach’s reaction to the IRA Statement

GAVIN ESLER

Just before we came on air I talked to the Irish Prime Minster, Bertie Ahern, I began by asking him if the story of the day was that the war was over and the IRA had lost?

TAOISEACH

No the story of today is that the IRA have ended their armed campaign, that they are going to complete the whole process of decommissioning and everything from here on in will be on peaceful means and there’s not a question of losers, this is a victory for moving on, to implement the Good Friday Agreement for the future and that is the important thing Prime Minister Blair and I have been so anxious to do. 

We have had our pitches over the last seven months or so, we have spent two and a half years trying to get to a particular phase and we have achieved that today, so it is a good day and a very important day in the peace process.

GAVIN ESLER
Taoiseach it has been 36 years and more than 3,000 dead and the IRA have been unable to achieve their aim of a united Ireland. If it is now left to a political process, do you accept that it might be possible that there never will be a united Ireland? 

TAOISEACH

Well I think the issue of a united Ireland is something that will happen or it will not happen but it’s based on consent, it will be a long way down the road in my view. But there is an awful lot of things to do before we get there. Hopefully we can continue to work on the island of Ireland through the North/South Bodies, and working on issues like health, areas of education and issues of tourism where we are already doing it. We are working on an all island basis to try to solve the everyday requirements and needs and objectives of the community that we all represent. 

And hopefully after a passage of time the people would then see the sense of the island being united, but I think that that is down the road, we shouldn’t I think work in a threatening way to anybody, it is by peaceful resolution we can make an enormous amount of progress over the years ahead rather than putting up the united Ireland lights which sometimes threatens many people and people from the unionist community.

GAVIN ESLER

If I read you rightly today Taoiseach, you are suggesting that Ian Paisley is quite right to be skeptical given what we have seen in the past, but does there come a point several months down the road where if the unionists do not get on board, they will be seen as obstructing the process?

TAOISEACH

Well I think today, I am very pleased about today but obviously there are two verification bodies that will ultimately decide whether what was stated today is actually fulfilled. That we have not just words but deeds and that that is verified fully. So when we get to that day I will be even more pleased. 

I think then when we get to that stage it beholds the unionist people as per the Good Friday Agreement it was freely elected on and had a review only a year ago, to then move towards implementing that fully in the way that it was devised so obviously that is really the ultimate thing that we have in Northern Ireland because of all of the divisions of the past, and all the problems with sectarianism, that we have cross community support for the institutions and people work together to try to provide a good order and good progress for their people from all sides and do they do that together so that really is the ultimate prize that we have to work for. 

GAVIN ESLER

How far now is the onus on the British Government because they are the ones that have to build confidence about policing and presumably they are actually the ones who have to restart the institutions, get devolution to work?

TAOISEACH

Well I am ready and very happy to be working with Prime Minister Blair and his Government on this initiative. There are issues that we all have to deal with, outstanding items under the Good Friday Agreement and we will do that. Some of those the British Government have to act on exclusively, others the Irish Government have to do, others we jointly work on, so I think we can do that. 

The issue of policing remains an area that we have to resolve and I think it requires all parties to work together so that we can get the institutions up, but obviously see that policing is devolved back to the institutions in Northern Ireland when they are set up. And then that everyone gives their total support. All political persuasions and Sinn Féin in the future to give total support to the policing arrangements and participate in them, that’s when we really see it. Because any society needs a properly supported policing arrangement and that certainly is what we have to achieve over the next few years. 

HAIN CHALLENGES PARTIES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
07/30/05 06:25 EST

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Hain has said he will not seek to influence the 'Independent' Monitoring Commission to give the IRA a clean bill of health. 

Mr. Hain challenged the Northern Ireland parties to take responsibility. Mr. Hain said the idea of legalizing an inactive IRA was not on his radar. 

"My invitation to the elected representatives, would-be ministers, is to get into power quickly," he said. 

"If you don't like the decisions get into power quickly and take them yourself. But meanwhile I'll be getting on with the job of governing in the interests of the future of Northern Ireland." 

The secretary of state said he was prepared to consider a shadow Assembly if its intended to prepare the ground for full devolution, but not if he believes it is a substitute for local politicians sharing power. 

US POLITICIANS WANT MOMENTUM MAINTAINED - McGUINNESS
07/30/05 10:40 EST

Senior US politicians want the momentum built up by the IRA's decision to end its armed campaign maintained, a leading Sinn Féin figure said today. 

Martin McGuinness said the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists would also have to engage his party in talks as he arrived back in Ireland from a series of briefings in New York and Washington with leading US politicians. 

Among those who met Mr. McGuinness were Senators Hillary Clinton and Patrick Leahy, US President George Bush's special adviser on Northern Ireland Ambassador Mitchell Reiss and Cardinal Edward Egan of New York. 

The Mid Ulster MP claimed on his return: "There was widespread support for the IRA's decision to end its armed campaign and recognition, not just of the historic nature of the move, but also the need for momentum to be maintained. This means that the Irish and British governments need to push forward with the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the restoration of the political institutions." 

"It also means that the days when the DUP were allowed to prevent progress have come to an end. It is time for the DUP to step up to the plate and represent the interests of those who vote for them. It is time that they sit down face-to-face with Irish republicans." 

The DUP and Sir Reg Empey's Ulster Unionists have been skeptical about the IRA's move, insisting the IRA will have to prove over time that Thursday's declaration is more than just words. 

With the British government starting to dismantle three Army watchtowers in south Armagh and promising legislation in the fall to smooth the return of paramilitaries who have been on-the-run since the Troubles, Sir Reg has accused the British and Irish Governments of throwing concessions at Sinn Féin on the back of a vague IRA statement. 

In an article for the Ulster Newsletter he said today: "The statement should have been judged against basic criteria. Does this mean the IRA is finished and has gone away for good? "Does this mean that all weapons will be given up?" 

"Does this mean that all the criminal activity is to be ended forthwith and not privatized or outsourced to criminal elements? Does this mean that republicans now support the police in the execution of their duty and will remove the threats against those nationalists who want to join the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland)?" 

"Does this mean that Sinn Féin will now urge young nationalists to join the PSNI? As far as the Ulster Unionist Party is concerned, these fundamental questions remain unanswered." 

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush's administrations have all welcomed the IRA's statement, believing it could lead to a restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland. 

POPE WELCOMES IRA STATEMENT
07/31/05 11:30 EST

Pope Benedict welcomed today the Irish Republican Army's decision last week to end its armed campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland and urged all sides to take further steps for peace. 

"It's fine news that contrasts with the painful events that we witness daily in many parts of the world," the Pope told crowds after his weekly Angelus blessing at his lakeside summer residence outside Rome. 

The Pope said the IRA's formal announcement on Thursday of the end of its 30-year armed campaign had given "satisfaction and hope to that island and the whole international community." 

"I encourage everyone, without exception, to follow the path set out with courage, and to take further measures to reinforce mutual trust, promote reconciliation and consolidate negotiations for a just and lasting peace." 

MONDAY, AUG. 1, 2005

News Digest:

Politics

The News Letter (P1,6,7) asks the Secretary of State to justify fresh concessions to republicans in the wake of another IRA statement. In an exclusive interview with the paper Peter Hain reassured unionists of his intentions. He said that he would also need verification of IRA activities and can understand how unionists do not trust the IRA or Sinn Féin. He says that despite his decision to release Sean Kelly he understands the pain of Ulster's victims. He also warns the UVF that there will be 'serious consequences' if it does not call off its killing spree and he defends Tony Blair over comments last week which offended victims of IRA violence. He has also said he is against the idea of resurrecting a Northern Ireland Assembly in shadow or interim form. 

In an interview with the Independent (P27) Peter Hain has said that 'the last mile of ending the conflict is always the most difficult to walk'. 

The DUP have warned that the testing period for the IRA to prove its statement is for real will be extended if there is a lack of transparency around the disarmament process. News Letter (P8), Mirror (P2). 

The Ulster Unionists would refuse to operate cross border bodies under devolution if the Irish Government tries to give Northern Ireland politicians speaking rights in the Dail. Irish News (P5), Daily Ireland (P5), Irish Star (P13), Mirror (P2). 

87% of people in the Republic are skeptical about aspects of the IRA statement. News Letter (P9), Irish Star (12). 

Martin McGuinness has renewed his call for the DUP to begin face to face talks with his party. News Letter (P9), Daily Ireland (P15). 

A leading expert in terrorism from the University of Ulster last night declared the IRA statement as 'ambiguous as any other statement in the past' Belfast Telegraph (P9). 

Washington has made it plain that the IRA must also end links with dubious foreign groups. Belfast Telegraph (P10). 

Former Secretary of State Paul Murphy has said that the September 11th attacks had created a context in which terrorism had to be abandoned in Northern Ireland. Irish News (P24), News Letter (P9), Belfast Telegraph (P10), Irish Star (P13). 

The Irish Government expects that it will take most of the month of August to start the process of destroying the IRA's weapons arsenal. Bertie Ahern also said that Sinn Féin could go into government and the IRA could become legal if it fulfilled certain criteria. Irish Independent (P14). He also said that his Government's 'no budge and no fudge' stance was crucial in bringing about the IRA statement. Irish Independent (P14). In the Irish Times (P5) it's reported that Bertie Ahern has said that lifting the ban on the IRA would not require legislation and could be done by a Government Order. See also Times (P4)

Editorials

The Irish News (P10) says that the message to loyalist paramilitaries from unionist politicians should be the same as that delivered to the IRA: It's time to go away. 

The News Letter (P8) says that many questions are still unanswered following the IRA statement including whether the two Governments are prepared to tolerate unlawful activities. Criminality of course is not peculiar to one set of paramilitaries as the loyalist feud shows. 

Daily Ireland (P18) notes the passivity of unionist politicians in the face of loyalist feuding in contrast to their response to the IRA's statement. 

The Guardian (P15) notes that the IRA 'farewell to arms' will have an impact in the Republic of Ireland as well as the north. The parties in the north may have to craft a new relationship with Sinn Féin but so will those in the South. 

Program: Good Morning Ulster
Date & Time: 01.08.05 (08.26)
Subject: Demilitarization/peace process

CONOR BRADFORD

What is your reaction there to what Martin McGuinness at least talks of as a way of progressing things a bit at the moment?

SAMMY WILSON

I think that first of all Martin McGuinness has to live in the real world. We have made it very, very clear that we’re not interested in the words of the IRA, who have lied their way since 1994, when we were told in 1994 there’s a complete cessation of hostilities. And during that period there have been multiple murders, bombings, spying etc. We were told the same again when they entered talks in 1996, told the same again in 1998 when we got the Belfast Agreement, told the same again when they went into a power-sharing Executive with the Ulster Unionists. We’ve heard these lies before so we’re making quite clear that rather than the spotlight being on us, for the next period of time the spotlight is going to be on them and we intend to be sure that the words are matched by actions. If the words are not matched by actions then they can whistle in the dark all they wish but they are not getting concessions from us. Now the British Government may be rushing to please them …

CONOR BRADFORD

And the DUP just sits on the sidelines and witnesses it all happening with the dismantling of the towers, the demilitarization, meanwhile you just go on saying no, I mean what is the DUP game plan here?

SAMMY WILSON

No, absolutely not, Conor, absolutely not. There are certain things which we have control of, there are certain things that we don’t have control of. And as far as the dismantling of watchtowers etc. is concerned that was something which apparently was agreed between the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Féin and the British Government in 2003 if they got a statement such as this. 

We have said that we were not part of that and we don’t have any control over that. But the one thing that we do have control over is whether or not Sinn Féin get into Government, because that requires our support and we have made it quite clear that we will not have the wool pulled over our eyes, we will not be moving forward on that whilst there is no evidence that the arms have gone, the terrorism has stopped and the criminality is finished.

CONOR BRADFORD

So okay Direct Rule goes on ….

SAMMY WILSON

…. we do have control over, and rather than sitting on our hands over that period we will be examining what is happening. If it is not happening as was promised then we’ll be saying to the British Government now you must go a different direction.

CONOR BRADFORD

But they won’t listen to you because really they don’t have to listen to you and by refusing to go into an Executive you’re denying yourself the opportunity to influence. Just take, there’s water charges they’re going to bring those in, what about grammar schools your very own interest? We hear now that they’re going to abolish grammar schools and the DUP meanwhile sits on the sidelines and says we refuse to go into Government and maybe shape the policy which you feel personally quite strongly about?

SAMMY WILSON

Well you see Conor, they have listened to us. We were told at the last Assembly elections, no point in voting for the DUP because the Government’s not going to change its policy. And yet, as a result of the talks up to December last year, we had very, very fundamental changes in the Belfast Agreement in relation to the accountability of Ministers, the accountability of cross-border bodies, the powers of the Assembly etc. and also pushing the IRA towards not just words but towards making commitments and also having a period when they would be tested. So we have been listened to. I think that the important thing is to show that you are resolute in what you say and that you’re not prepared to move on things if you do not get the safeguards which are required for the restoration of proper and strong and sustainable ….

CONOR BRADFORD

So this could run and run? I mean obviously you were elected very much on this tough basis and it was successful. There doesn’t appear to be a great sense of urgency on the part of the unionist community for devolved power. They’re talking about the end of 2006 into 2007. Can we just forget about a Northern Ireland parliament now do you think?

SAMMY WILSON

Well I think that the one thing that you don’t want to get is a Northern Ireland parliament which stumbles from one crisis to another, as happened with the Assembly under the Belfast Agreement. That doesn’t serve anyone’s purposes and doesn’t serve for good government either. You certainly don’t want a devolved parliament in which you perhaps have security powers eventually devolved and there are people who are allied to a criminal organization overseeing those security powers. 

That wouldn’t do a service to the people of Northern Ireland either. So our view is make sure we get it right and if in the meantime we’re going to have Direct Rule I think Direct Rule is far better than criminal rule and that’s what’s on offer at present, and we’re not going down that route. We have said we’ll not go down that route. In the meantime we will ensure that the Government lives up to its commitment to monitor what the IRA are up to and secondly we will be putting forward alternatives as to ways of making accountable government in Northern Ireland.

Aug. 1, 2005

Program: R4 Westminster Hour – Secretary of State
Date & Time: 31.7.05 – 22.09
Subject: Peace Process Prospects

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

In Northern Ireland this should be a time of hope, after years of debate and more than one false start the IRA has announced an end to what it euphemistically used to call the ‘armed struggle’. Weapons are to dumped and the goal of a united Ireland is to be pursued by exclusively peaceful means. But for those made weary by the endless twists and turns of politics in Northern Ireland this isn’t so much the end nor even, to paraphrase Churchill the beginning of the end, though it may perhaps be the end of the beginning. 

What lies ahead are months of painstaking negotiation before Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party, the DUP, will even contemplate sharing power with Sinn Féin, an agreement which is essential if Northern Ireland’s Executive and Assembly are to be restored. In the meantime it’s the Secretary of State, Peter Hain, who remains responsible for making the decisions which affect day to day life in Northern Ireland. I’ve been speaking to Mr. Hain and I began by asking him about the first stage, removing the guns. 

A previous deal collapsed when Ian Paisley said he would only accept that IRA weapons had been decommissioned if there was photographic proof, something the IRA refused to give. Does Peter Hain think this time that problem can be overcome?

SECRETARY OF STATE

I’m with Ian Paisley and the DUP on wanting verification. We’ve had too many false dawns before, even when we got very close, tantalizingly close to an agreement between the DUP and Sinn Féin late last year, you had the Northern Bank robbery being planned and executed at exactly the same time. 

So there’s a big trust gap and what I want and what I’m sure the DUP and all unionist opinion wants is not just the words, which were historic and unprecedented in giving up the armed struggle and committing themselves to exclusively democratic and peaceful means, but the actions of closing down activity on the ground to follow and that will need verification, so we’re all in the same position.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

But the question is what verification, now does that mean photographic evidence, is that going to be the only acceptable verification that all parties could agree upon?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well there’s two issues here, one is the decommissioning of arms and that’s where the photographs have been an issue in the past. That’s to say the IRA’s commitment to dump its arms and put them beyond use and that’s carried out by General de Chastelain’s international monitoring decommissioning agency. The other issue, which I actually think is equally important if not more so, is the Independent Monitoring Commission of people who are widely respected. It has a track record now of a couple of years of verification and legitimacy in saying what is going on. Is criminality going on? 

Are the punishment beatings going on? Are people intelligence gathering? Targeting as the IRA’s been doing over this past year and weapons procurement, now it pronounces in October. That’s a little early because it’s only around four or five weeks into the period when the new era has been operating, following the IRA’s statement, because that’s the way it operates, it can only gather the information over that period before it assesses and then pronounces in October. 

So probably it’s most significant report will be in January. Now if in January it says, and I’ve no means of saying what it will report, if it says there’s a positive development of activity having followed the statement and being closed down, then I think we can expect from unionists and everybody else an obligation to get into power sharing talks. 

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

But what if it also says, never mind this question of specifically weapons, what if it also says what it said in its most recent report. ‘Provisional IRA remains heavily engaged in organized crime’, because the DUP has made clear that it’s not enough for the IRA to give up the armed struggle for them to be willing to share power with Sinn Féin. But the IRA must also abandon its involvement in criminality?

SECRETARY OF STATE

I agree with that. If the bombs and the bullets have gone and the IMC reports that, that’s one thing and very welcome too, frankly that has been the case now for a while. If the punishment beatings and the community intimidation carry on as has been the case, for example, faced by the sisters and family of Robert McCartney, the murdered nationalist republican, murdered by the IRA, if that continues that’s unacceptable. 

Then there is a third category of the way that IRA activity, and the same by the way is true of loyalist activity by the UDA, the UVF and LVF which has effectively become a kind of gangsterism, a mafia type criminality of whereby the whole operation is financed by bank robberies and smuggling and other associated criminality, if that is continuing that’s equally unacceptable. So I’m expecting the IMC to survey the whole picture and to give a comprehensive report.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

You see all of that seems to push this prospect of power sharing a lot further into the future. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Earlier this year Ian Pearson, your colleague when he was Security Minister, told File on 4, here on BBC Radio 4, that the IRA are perhaps the most sophisticated organized criminal grouping to be found anywhere in Europe, perhaps in the world. 

There’s no sudden thing any Government anywhere can do that will mean that organized crime disappears, it’s going to be a long battle. Now if it’s going to be a long battle how do you persuade unionists that Sinn Féin is fit for Government until that battle has been completed?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well we’ve got to see a process, which won’t happen in weeks but cannot be delayed for years, continue. Northern Ireland can’t wait forever, it can’t wait for years for a settlement, there’s a lot of big challenges going on. There’s India, there’s China, there’s Eastern Europe and global problems, if you have a frozen situation here, politically frozen situation, why will the investment come in? 

Why will the jobs come in? How can we get competitive? So I’m saying to people that we’ve got to move on and we’ve got to make sure that this activity is closed down and I’m saying directly to the IRA and also to Sinn Féin and the whole of the republican community, you’ve got to take a different course and I welcome the fact that on Thursday that was signaled and now we have to have actions and deeds following those words.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

Many unionists will feel that there is a certain ambiguity from Sinn Féin towards the Police Service of Northern Ireland precisely because in nationalist communities the IRA has preferred to do its own policing with all the consequences you’ve been talking about this evening?

SECRETARY OF STATE

And I understand that. There are some areas of Northern Ireland, in fact I visited one in South Armagh on Tuesday in Crossmaglen, where the police cannot travel in by car and they have to be flown in by helicopter and where they can only respond to the public’s request for help over crime, burglaries and so on by going out with an armed soldier escort. 

Now that is unacceptable and therefore we have to have republican and nationalist areas, and therefore Sinn Féin in the lead, accepting that modern policing under the Police Service for Northern Ireland and the widely respected Chief Constable Hugh Orde, who is doing a great job and is internationally recognized for doing so, we have to accept that the rule of law and the police as the enforcement agency of that rule of law have got to operate on every square inch of Northern Ireland, and that requires a mindset change by republican communities and that is happening gradually. More and more policing is extending into so-called republican heartlands, including in Armagh, and that is to be welcomed.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

You talk about changing the mindset and one of the ideas you floated and indeed the Government has consulted on is some sort of victims commission, perhaps modeled on what happened in South Africa following the end of apartheid. I wonder if you would actually envisage say somebody like Sean Kelly, the convicted IRA bomber who you ordered to be released last week, would you envisage him sitting down in Belfast City Hall with the families of the nine people he was convicted of killing and publicly apologizing for what he’d done?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I know from my South African experience that there is a very important issue to be addressed here if we are to get a genuine healing of this centuries old conflict in Northern Ireland and the bitterness and the tremendous grief and loss that many victims of the conflict have suffered over the last 36 years, 35 years of IRA activity and the terrorism which has reaped such a terrible devastation on Northern Ireland. Those victims need to have some recognition and acknowledgment of a healing process and that’s something we will be taking forward.

Program: Inside Politics
Date & Time: 30.07.05
Subject: Secretary of State discusses IRA statement

MARK DEVENPORT

Well 11 years on from the 1994 ceasefire, seven years on from the Good Friday Agreement and three years on from Tony Blair’s demand for acts of completion, this week the IRA finally delivered. It didn’t quite say that its war was over but according to a former commander of IRA prisoners in the Maze jail that’s what Thursday’s statement meant. There was no promise of any photos to provide proof of IRA disarmament but we did get a DVD showing a former cellmate of Bobby Sands reading out the IRA’s order to dump arms. Unionists remain, predictably, skeptical. 

The proof of the pudding. says Ian Paisley. will be in the eating, but London, Dublin and Washington clearly hope this will be enough to put the political process back on track. Now the business of verifying republican actions and persuading reluctant unionists begins. The man tasked with the job of reviving Stormont and sorting out the considerable difficulties which lie ahead in relation to areas such as policing is the Secretary of State, Peter Hain. And I’m glad to say he joins me now on Inside Politics. Mr. Hain you’re very welcome.

SECRETARY OF STATE

Hello Mark.

MARK DEVENPORT

You and the rest of the Government are clearly happy with the words the IRA’s provided and this statement undoubtedly builds on the one proposed in December when they talked about going into a new mode. We know there were a lot of behind the scenes meetings in the run up to this, between republicans and the Government, did you suggest to them some of the elements that we saw emerging in the statement on Thursday?

SECRETARY OF STATE

I have been having a dialogue with Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Kelly really even since I got into office some three months ago and it was not for us to suggest what words should go in the IRA statement, but we made it clear all along what they needed to do. They needed to make it clear, crystal clear, that the violence was over, that they were committed to democratic and peaceful politics and as it’s turned out, with a lot of rhetoric about the history of their struggle and so forth which I suppose is to be expected, that’s what they delivered.

MARK DEVENPOINT

You’ve sketched out a timetable for events from now, with the IMC reporting on IRA activity first in October and then probably more importantly in January, six months on from this statement. Given that the whole future of the process will depend on a positive IMC report, the IMC saying yeah the IRA has stopped everything, won’t that Commission be under enormous pressure to airbrush out any glitches in order to provide you, provide the Irish Government with what you are hoping for so much?

SECRETARY OF STATE

It’s an Independent Commission and it makes its own judgments and you couldn’t manipulate if you wanted to, which we don’t, what it said. We’ve got a whole series of eminent people with international experience sitting on it and they’re not pawns of anybody. And frankly I wouldn’t want to do that.

MARK DEVENPORT

They do make judgments on the basis of the intelligence that you and the Irish provide to them though?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well, that the security services provide, yes. But I would not want to seek to influence them at all because I would want to be satisfied myself that this is the real change that has been promised otherwise how can I go in good faith to Ian Paisley and pick up the discussion, the very good discussion I had with him on Thursday, how can I do that if it wasn’t accepted, as it has been with its track record, that the IMC in an independent body with legitimacy and credibility?

MARK DEVENPORT

But unionists might be a little suspicious, I mean you refer to your meeting with Ian Paisley, he was clearly incandescent about the release of Sean Kelly and there was a sense perhaps that the Government had taken an expedient action with Sean Kelly, passed over whatever specific information you had about his individual case, in terms of the wider picture. So I suppose unionists might be suspicious that the same thing could happen, say in January?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I don’t think so. I mean unionist suspicion about the Sean Kelly situation and indeed anger is understandable. In my job you get attacked whatever you do. I was attacked for locking him up six weeks ago, I thought it was the right thing to do, it was a tough decision, I hoped it would be a one off, and it was a tough decision to release him in the entirely new context to which he was signed up, that’s to say the IRA committing itself to exclusively democratic and peaceful progress.

MARK DEVENPORT

Just precisely on that ….

SECRETARY OF STATE

Can I just say one other point on this?

MARK DEVENPORT

Yeah.

SECRETARY OF STATE

Having locked up Sean Kelly, I sent a very clear and blunt warning to anybody out on a license, whether loyalist or republican, that they’ve got to abide by the terms of the license. That will remain the case.

MARK DEVENPORT

Precisely in terms of the new conditions, the new conditions didn’t come into effect until four o’clock on Thursday. I don’t want to be pedantic about it, but it looks on the face of it as if you were in effect blackmailed, you weren’t going to get your statement until Sean Kelly was released by you?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Nobody blackmails me about anything.

MARK DEVENPORT

So was it a precondition?

SECRETARY OF STATE

No it wasn’t. I took a view that it was not sensible to keep him incarcerated when there was an entirely new situation arising out of the IRA statement, which I’d then seen in advance of it being issued, that I ought to put him out on temporary release. Of course the Sentence Review Commissioners will complete the process and then they’ll decide whether he stays out permanently or he doesn’t.

MARK DEVENPORT

Now coming back to the IRA statement, one word they didn’t use was disbandment ….

SECRETARY OF STATE

I didn’t expect them to, nor did I invite them to.

MARK DEVENPORT

I mean given that they will still be out there, republicans still not recognizing the police, what kind of existence do you expect this organization to now have?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well we’ll have to see, but whatever its existence is it can no longer, if the terms of the statement on Thursday are to be respected, as we insist they must be and the world will be expecting them to do, they need, if they stay in existence, they need to be doing other things than engaged in violent activity and I don’t just mean letting off bombs and firing bullets, I mean all the range of intelligence gathering, targeting, weapons procurement and organizational preparation planning as well as the punishment beatings, the community intimidation of the kind that the McCartney family has suffered as I was told at first hand by all of them, very brave women. All of that has got to stop and I think that’s the crucial thing now.

MARK DEVENPORT

If the IRA becomes this kind of benign inactive organization you hope it will do, would you consider legalizing it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

That is not on my radar at all. What is important is we now move forward and that we consider how we can take advantage of this opportunity. And I do think there are a whole series of very difficult hurdles to surmount now. There’s the question of engaging in political talks which we can maybe discuss but immediately there’s the issue of policing. Now one of the issues that was mentioned in my statement, after the IRA issued theirs, but which hasn’t really been much commented upon is that I expect all parties, including Sinn Féin, to be signed up to a new policing agenda which should result in Sinn Féin joining the Policing Board in due course. And that means that policing has got to be normalized right across Northern Ireland, in areas for example like South Armagh, where police patrols can only go out in response to a request for help over a crime with armed soldiers alongside, as I saw for myself on Tuesday when I went across the area and went down to Crossmaglen.

MARK DEVENPORT

Republicans say that their acceptance of policing still depends on sorting out the devolution of policing powers. I mean is there any way of cutting this knot do you think and actually having a move forward on policing ahead of a comprehensive political deal?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well we need to do these things in parallel and in a way the one is dependent on the other. I think if Sinn Féin were truly signed up to Hugh Orde’s policing agenda and Hugh and his PSNI are gaining increasing respect, not just within Northern Ireland including in nationalist communities, but also internationally. It’s interesting that the PSNI, and who would have imagined this of Northern Ireland’s policing over the years, is becoming a focus for international interest in how you emerge from conflicts and you normalize security and policing. 

But that requires a whole lot of other measures which will have to run in parallel with the political talks, but certainly the other parties will want to know that if the end result is a Sinn Féin Minister sitting on an Executive in Stormont exercising devolved powers over policing and justice, if that is the end to which we are all working, and certainly I would like to see the devolution of policing and justice in due course, then that Sinn Féin Minister has got to be absolutely clear that there’s no equivocation, he or she has signed up to the rule of law and the backing that the police force provide to underpin it.

MARK DEVENPORT

On the politics, do you expect the DUP to be in direct dialogue with republicans in January, say if the IMC says the IRA’s inactive?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I can’t be certain about timing but if the IMC report does report a closing down of all activity, that will have been over a six month period since the statement was made. Now it’s a very significant time although the skeptics including, understandably amongst unionists, I would be in their position, probably will say in October, even if the IMC does report semi favorably, that that’s too early because the IMC will only have considered what about five weeks, given the way they operate, of the period in which the new post arms struggle phase has been in operation on the ground. Now that’s too short really to make an assessment. 

But whilst we wait for a definitive and independently assessed verification of the closing down of violent activity and we all take a judgment on that, that doesn’t mean to say that the political process should be frozen or paralyzed. I want to meet with all the political leaders when everybody comes back from their holidays in September, as I have indeed been meeting over these past few days and weeks and months, but to engage more intensively as to what they see the future being. 

And some interesting ideas have been put to me which I need to consider, including by Reg Empey on how political engagement could begin to take force. On the other hand I don’t want to see halfway houses to fully shared, inclusive Government in a devolved legislature. That’s got to be the objective and we can’t deviate from that, but if people have good ideas on how we get there, and how we get people talking to each other and sitting in the same room as each other and acknowledging each other, well I’m up for good ideas.

MARK DEVENPORT

Well on that score, would you envisage setting up say a Shadow Assembly in the spring for a temporary period?

SECRETARY OF STATE

I don’t want to go into any detail like that. Shadow Assemblies were discussed in the past. The question for me is not so much one of timing, it is, is a Shadow Assembly a substitute for biting the bullet of full shared Government and inclusive power sharing? 

Now that was the agenda for the Belfast Agreement, that is what has operated in the past is inclusive Government, that’s what we’ve got to return to, because there isn’t any other show in town to solve this problem. So provided people have that objective in mind and there’s no attempt to divert from it or somehow side track it and stall it, then I’m up for good ideas on how you bridge the gap between where we are now and how we get there.

MARK DEVENPORT

And should voters be preparing for fresh Assembly elections perhaps next year?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well they’re not scheduled till 2007 and I see no reason to bring them forward. So I don’t think that’s on the agenda.

MARK DEVENPORT

And just finally, I mean people here are interested obviously in securing a peaceful future for their children and grandchildren, but like people everywhere they’re also interested in the contents of their wallets. As you know there’s great concern about the prospect of water charges, increased rates coming in. Given that there’s now a prospect of reviving Stormont will you put back any implementation of those measures to allow local politicians to take the decisions?

SECRETARY OF STATE

No I won’t, because tough decisions have been ducked for too long in recent years, understandably, because the peace process, the political process always took priority. But actually these decisions have to be faced up to. Northern Ireland is in pretty good shape at the moment with high employment, more jobs than we’ve ever had before and spreading prosperity. 

But it’s nowhere near where we need to be in five, ten, fifteen, twenty years time to fight off the competitive challenge from Eastern Europe, let alone China and India coming accelerating over the horizon. I want to take the decisions that are necessary to create a prosperous and a stable and a successful world class Northern Ireland for the future. Those include making a proper contribution to water and having a modern system of property tax. 

You can’t duck those decisions any more than we can duck the tough decisions needed to bring waiting lists down or improve competitiveness or sort out our educational system. And my invitation to the elected representatives and would be Ministers is to get into power quickly, if you don’t like the decisions get into power quickly and take them yourself, but meanwhile I’ll be getting on with the job of governing in the interests of the future of Northern Ireland.

MARK DEVENPORT

Peter Hain, there we must leave it.