"There are essentially three questions that arise and I think you will find that when I describe these three questions, they are all questions that are perfectly capable of clear and plain answers," he said. "Let me spell them out for you because these are the three fundamental questions;

"-When the IRA say that their strategies and disciplines will not be inconsistent with the Good Friday Agreement, does that mean an end to all activities inconsistent with the Good Friday Agreement, including targeting, procurement of weapons, so-called punishment beatings and so forth?

"-Secondly, when they say that they are committed to putting arms beyond use through the decommissioning commission, does that mean all arms so that the process is complete?

"-And thirdly, when they say that they support the Good Friday Agreement and want it to work, does that mean that if the two Governments and the other parties fulfil their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement and the joint declaration, does that mean the complete and final closure of the conflict?"

Mr Blair said he did not believe his questions were too difficult to answer. He continued: "Because this whole process is about the trust that people need and the confidence that they need, then the answers have got to be clear."

"On the 23 April the British Prime Minister publicly raised three questions about the IRA statement.

"Mr. Blair asked first, whether activities inconsistent with the Good Friday Agreement, such as targeting, procurement of weapons, punishment beatings and so forth, were at an end; second, whether the IRAs commitment was to put all arms beyond use; and thirdly, whether the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and commitments in the Joint Declaration would bring complete and final closure of the conflict.

"I have stated in the course of the extensive private contacts that have taken place with the governments my belief that the IRA statement is clear on the issues raised, but for the public record, my answers are as follows.

"Firstly, the IRA leadership has stated its determination to ensure that its activities will be consistent with its resolve to see the complete and final closure of the conflict.

"I have already acknowledged in my address to the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis, and at other times, the difficulties caused for the pro-Agreement unionists and others by allegations of IRA activities in the recent past.

"In particular these have been cited as an excuse for the suspension of the political institutions and the current impasse in the Good Friday Agreement process.

"Sinn Fein is, with others, an architect of the GFA. Martin McGuinness and I have raised allegations of IRA activity with the IRA leadership.

"Mr. Blair has also raised these issues in one of his questions.

"In my view the IRA statement deals definitively with these concerns about alleged IRA activity, and any such activities which in any way undermine the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement should not be happening.

"The IRA statement is a statement of completely peaceful intent. Its logic is that there should be no activities inconsistent with this.

"Secondly, the IRA has clearly stated its willingness to proceed with the implementation of a process to put arms beyond use at the earliest opportunity.

"Obviously this is not about putting some arms beyond use. It is about all arms.

"And thirdly, if the two governments and all the parties fulfil their commitments this will provide the basis for the complete and final closure of the conflict," said Adams.

The West Belfast MP said Sinn Fein's peace strategy had always been about ending the tradition of "physical force republicanism by creating an alternative way to achieve democratic and republican objectives".

He said his party had negotiated, campaigned and had argued to have the Good Friday Agreement implemented because it fitted "into a strategy of creating an alternative to war and a means of sustaining and anchoring the peace process".

He said the IRA statement contained another key element: "Some time ago the Ulster Unionist Party leader publicly stated that he would not call a UUC meeting to discuss his party going back into the institutions until after the IRA had acted on the arms issue. For its part the IRA had set its engagement with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning in the context of functioning political institutions."

There was also deep scepticism within the republican constituency, he said, because there was no indication that the UUP would reciprocate "even if the IRA moved on the arms issue". This stand off had to be broken, he said.

"So, despite the suspension of the institutions the IRA leadership authorised a third act of putting arms beyond use to be verified under the agreed scheme by the IICD. This act was timed to facilitate the Ulster Unionist Party holding a UUC meeting. This followed a suggestion by me that I would point up this difficulty in a public statement. Mr. Trimble was to respond to this with a public commitment that he would recommend to his party that they actively support the sustained working of the political institutions and other elements of the Good Friday Agreement."

"The IRA leadership was then prepared to act in advance of the UUC meeting and in the context of suspended institutions."

My understanding is that all of this is still doable at this time if there is a positive response from the two governments and Mr. Trimble."

Mr. Adams said there was "considerable unease" within the republican activist base and the wider republican constituency over recent developments.

"The Sinn Féin leadership, while mindful of this, has not been deterred because our commitment is to making this process work. We are also conscious that other constituencies have their problems."

He said tha IRA had demonstrated "in an unprecedented way" its clear willingness to support the peace process.

"I, along with the vast majority of people in Ireland, value the IRA cessation. It is the main anchor for the peace process. But let me be clear, the political process is the responsibility of political leaders. We created the Good Friday Agreement. It is our job, whatever about the approaches or actions of others, to make politics work, to make conflict resolution work."

"This is a collective responsibility. We all have a choice to make. The Sinn Fein leadership's position is clear."

"I believe that the IRA statement, unmatched by any from the IRA leadership in this or indeed any other phase of their struggle, points the way forward."

"Now the two governments and the leadership of the UUP have to make a choice. So what has to be done? There is no magic formula waiting to be discovered. The next steps in this process are not secret. Everyone knows what is required."

He said the Joint Declaration and all other statements should be published.

"It is as simple as that. The commitments contained in all the statements, including the IRA statement, should be implemented in full. The Assembly Elections should proceed as planned."

"Nationalists and unionists, republicans and loyalists have to come to terms with and recognise each others integrity. We need to forge a real partnership that manages the changes that are taking place and builds a better future, a democratic and inclusive future."

"Our collective task, in fact our collective obligation, is to make that change peaceful and constructive for all. We have to work together to move this process forward."

"That is the challenge for all of us, for Sinn Fein for the two governments and, critically, for the leadership of the UUP. That is the way to achieve a permanent peace," he said.

There has been a mixed reaction to Mr Adams's keynote address this afternoon.

The Irish Government has responded positively to the speech saying the remarks from Mr Adams represented a positive and significant response and that a solution to the current impasse was "close"

An Ulster Unionist spokesman, however, said the statement would not be enough to have the suspension of the power sharing executive and Assembly lifted.

The spokesman said: "Republicans build up this statement as something which has the capacity to unlock the deadlock. In the end it failed to live up to its billing. Having seen the details it falls short of what is required. It must be borne in mind that this was a statement by Gerry Adams and not the IRA."