Flash: IRA to intensify arms dialogue

[RedCeltic]

>>>>>> Flash: IRA to intensify arms dialogue


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The following is the full text of the IRA statement
published in An Phoblacht/Republican News this morning.
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First of all we wish to extend our sympathy to the people of the
United States and especially to the families and friends of the
victims of the deplorable attacks in New York, Washington and
Pennsylvania.

On 8 August we confirmed that the IRA leadership had agreed a
scheme with the Independent International Commission on
Decommissioning (IICD) to put IRA arms completely and verifiably
beyond use.

This unprecedented IRA initiative was the result of lengthy
discussions with the IICD over a long period.

It was another expression of our willingness to enhance the peace
process and it involved considerable problems for us and for our
organisation.

The IRA leadership's ability to speedily and substantially
progress the decision was completely undermined by the setting of
further preconditions and the outright rejection of the IICD
statement by the Ulster Unionist Party leadership.

Subsequent actions by the British government including a
continued failure to fulfil its commitments, remove the
conditions necessary for progress.

On 14 August we withdrew our proposal.

However, as an earnest of our willingness to resolve the issue of
arms, the IRA leadership wish to confirm that our representative
will intensify the engagement with the IICD.

This dialogue is within the context of our commitment to deal
satisfactorily with the question of arms.

It is with a view to accelerating progress towards the
comprehensive resolution of this issue.

Progress will be directly influenced by the attitude of other
parties to the peace process, including and especially, the
British government.

The IRA's commitment is without question. However, as we have
said before, peace making and peace keeping is a collective
effort.

It is our considered view that the Irish peace process can
succeed.

The continued failure or refusal to sustain the political process
and to deliver real and meaningful change has a direct bearing on
how this will be accomplished.

The IRA has contributed consistently and in a meaningful way to
the creation of a climate which would facilitate the search for a
durable settlement.

We will continue to do so, including through our engagement with
the IICD, particularly at this difficult time, and in the period
immediately ahead.

We also wish to state our attitude to the arrests of three
Irishmen in Colombia.

There has been a lot of ill-founded and mischievous speculation
about these arrests and some ill-considered and aggressive
comment directed at our organisation.

We wish to make it clear that the Army Council sent no one to
Colombia to train or to engage in any military cooperation with
any group.

The IRA has not interfered in the internal affairs of Colombia
and will not so do.

The IRA is not a threat to the peace process in Ireland or in
Colombia. The three men have asserted their support for the
process and we accept that.

P O'Neill




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[gooddoctor]

i'm glad that atleast some small good has come out of this appaling situation. people are beginning to realise that violence in the 21st century is not viable means to achieve political aims.

[Drifter]

i wouldn't say that,, but anything that might bring the violence to a close is no bad thing