From: "Stasi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Subject: [Peoples War] Ireland: IRA "Will Move On Arms" - BBC

Saturday, 6 October, 2001, 12:35 GMT 13:35 UK

IRA 'will move on arms'
================
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/northern_ireland/newsid_1582000/1582988.
stm

Weapons issue has been a major stumbling block

The IRA is going to put its weapons beyond use, according to a loyalist
politician in Northern Ireland.
David Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party said the timescale is unclear
but it is now inevitable that the IRA will deal with the arms issue.

Paramilitary decommissioning has been one of the main issues causing a
stumbling block in the Northern Ireland peace process.

Mr Ervine, whose party is linked to the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force,
said if the IRA started to decommission, loyalists would have to consider
doing the same.

And he said a new move on the weapons front was likely.

David Ervine said IRA would move on arms

"I think the Provos (Provisional IRA) are going to do it," Mr Ervine told
BBC NI's Inside Politics programme on Saturday.

"I think it's inevitable that the republicans will put weapons beyond use
and then there will be the atmosphere change in this society.

"Then it will be a question of what others have to do in response to the
mood change in this community."

The only party to have handed over some of its weapons in the peace process
is the Loyalist Volunteer Force, a paramilitary splinter group.

Two unionist motions to exclude Sinn Fein from the power-sharing executive
in the absence of decommissioning are to be debated by the assembly on
Monday.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has said if his motion fails to gain
cross-community support, which is likely, then he and his ministers will
leave office.

But the SDLP's Mark Durkan said that Ulster Unionists were wrong to try to
exclude Sinn Fein from government.

But Mr Durkan, the SDLP's leader in waiting, said the move should not be
used as an excuse by republicans for not decommissioning.

Mark Durkan: "Everything should be done to ensure devolution survives"

"What I would hope is that the IRA do not let the misguided unionist tactics
that are taking place, in relation to the exclusion motion, divert or
deflect them from any good work that they were intending to do with General
de Chastelain," he told Inside Politics.


He was referring to a recent statement from the IRA in which it said it
would intensify its engagement with the Chastelain Commission which is
overseeing the disarmament process.

Mr Durkan said every effort should be made in the coming days to ensure that
devolution survives.


On Wednesday, Mr Trimble said it was likely that devolution would be
suspended next week, following the assembly's debate on excluding Sinn Fein
from government.

He said the only way to keep the devolved institutions was to exclude Sinn
Fein from the power-sharing executive.

If the powersharing arrangement collapses, Northern Ireland Secretary John
Reid could return Northern Ireland to direct rule from Westminster and start
a review of the workings of the Good Friday Agreement.




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