Clock ticking away in Northern Ireland

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, AUG 9. As the countdown for a likely suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly began today, the Unionists rejected yet another bid by IRA to convince them of its intention to get rid of its weapons. There was a flurry of meetings as the clock ticked away towards the weekend deadline for breaking the deadlock over decommissioning and one proposal, reported to be under discussion, was to suspend the assembly for a day, which would give the two sides six more weeks to sort out their differences.

The day began with an IRA statement `confirming' that it had decided on a `scheme' which would put its arms ``completely and verifiably beyond use'' but it was summarily dismissed by the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) chief, Mr. David Trimble, who said it still did not go far enough.

``We have an IRA statement that says they intend at some point to do it. The question arises at what point,'' he said insisting that mere `words' and `promises' would not do. He wanted a more explicit proof of IRA's intentions before agreeing to return to the power-sharing provincial Government from which he resigned a month ago plunging the Good Friday Agreement into a crisis.

He repeated the familiar UUP line that IRA had made similar statements in the past, only to go back on them. ``We have taken risks to keep the agreement alive,'' he said making clear that his party was not prepared to be led up the garden path again.

In a further hardening of Unionist stand, Mr. Trimble suggested suspending the assembly saying that a suspension last year had worked, and it might work again. However, he said that even at this late stage the Republicans could save the peace process by announcing a more credible plan of decommissioning. ``If they don't it is they who have put the institutions (assembly and the government) at risk.''

He was not in favour of a short suspension saying it would serve a purpose if there was reason to hope that IRA would start decommissioning during the six-week period. It would be `pointless' to do it just to buy another six weeks, he said leaving it, however, to the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr. John Reid, to take the course that would do the ``least damage'' to the peace process.

Republicans were angry and accused the Unionists of ``walking away'' from the Good Friday Agreement. A senior Sinn Fein leader, Mr. Alex Maskey, said Mr. Trimble's rejection of IRA's offer confirmed the Republican view that Unionists were not interested in the agreement. The Sinn Fein chief, Mr. Gerry Adams, said his party was against suspension and believed that Unionists were in `breach' of the Agreement.

The IRA in its statement - a follow up to its August 6 offer of decommissioning - said that as a result of its discussions with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD), ``we can confirm that the IRA has agreed to a scheme with IICD which will put IRA arms completely and verifiably beyond use''. It disapproved of ``attempts in some quarters to prevent progress''.

Observers believed that the latest IRA offer was by far the most significant advance on decommissioning and worth giving a chance. They further believed that left to himself, Mr. Trimble would have been more amenable to persuasion but the pressure from his party hardliners had cramped his style.

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Section  : International
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