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Af Paul-Frederik Bach Tilbage til Hjemmeside English section Tilbage til Lokalregeringen suspenderes |
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Erklæringer i anledning af lokalregeringens suspension 31. januar 2000:
INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON DECOMMISSIONING
Brigadier Tauno Nieminen
To:
To:
1. In our report of 10 December, the Commission undertook
to report further on decommissioning in January. This is
that report. Since December, the Commission has held further
discussions with representatives of the IRA, the UVF and the
UFF.
2. Our previous report stated our belief that the results
of the Mitchell review and the designation of IRA and UFF
contacts in addition to the UVF contact already in place,
gave the basis for an assessment that decommissioning will
happen. While we believe that conclusion was well founded,
we await further evidence to substantiate it.
3. The IRA contact has assured us of the unequivocal
continuing support of his organisation for the current
political process. We have been made aware of, and
recognise, the difficulties facing the IRA leadership in
moving on decommissioning at this time. We are also
conscious that the maintenance of their ceasefire, and those
of the UVF and UFF, have played and continue to play, an
important part in the political advances that have been
achieved to date and that are progressing. Further our
contact has very recently emphasized that there is no threat
to the peace process from the IRA. All of these factors are
significant. But our sole task is decommissioning and to
date we have received no information from the IRA as to when
decommissioning will start.
4. In our most recent discussion with the UVF contact, he
reminded us of the discussions he held with the Commission
over a long period, including the UVF's early engagement on
the issue of modalities. He has also reiterated the UVF
stance that while it is prepared to consider moving on
decommissioning, it will not do so until it has received an
unequivocal statement from the IRA that the war is over.
5. Similarly, our most recent discussion with
representatives of the UFF has confirmed their position
stated during our earlier meeting, to the effect that while
that group too is prepared to consider moving on
decommissioning, it will not do so until it is clear that
the IRA will also decommission.
6. We will continue our efforts to carry out the
Commission's role in the manner and within the time-frame
approved by the political parties and the two governments.
However, given our understanding of the quantity of arms
held by the paramilitary groups, and the dispersed nature of
their locations, we believe a time will soon be reached
beyond which it will be logistically impossible for us to
complete our task by 22 May. We remain prepared to state, at
an appropriate date, when we believe decommissioning must
start and how it must proceed if our mandate is to be
fulfilled within the required period. But decommissioning is
a voluntary act; any schedule we produce will only be of
value if those who have the arms agree to follow it.
7. The foregoing noted, intensive negotiations have taken
place during the past few days. The Commission will report
further to the governments in the event that ongoing
negotiations lead to concrete results.
8. If it becomes clear to us that decommissioning is not
to happen, the Commission will recommend to the governments
that it be disbanded.
Tauno Nieminen, John de Chastelain, Andrew D. Sens
Belfast 31 January 2000
1. februar 2000:
The IRA were persuaded to enter into discussions with the Independent
International Commission on Decommissioning to help move the situation
out of the political vacuum in which it had been stuck for the previous
18 months.
We did so in good faith and constructively. Our representative met with
the IICD on three occasions and as
late as last night we were in contact with the IICD.
Our representative stressed that we are totally committed to the peace
process, that the IRA wants a permanent peace,
that the declaration and maintenance of the cessation, which is now
entering its fifth year is evidence of that, that the
IRA's guns are silent and that there is no threat to the peace process
from the IRA.
Det britiske Underhus, 3. februar 2000:
I first pay tribute to the way in which the new
institutions have got on with their challenging tasks in the
last two months.
The Assembly, the executive, the north-south bodies and the
British-Irish Council are all now up and running as intended
under the Good Friday Agreement.
I pay particular tribute to each of the ministers in the new
devolved executive and their parties who have taken up their
new responsibilities in good faith, with goodwill towards
each other and a genuine determination to serve all the
people of Northern Ireland.
I believe this augurs well for the long-term success of
devolved government in Northern Ireland.
Late on Monday, the latest report of the independent
international commission on decommissioning was delivered to
the British and Irish governments.
I pay tribute to the patient efforts of the Commission
members General John de Chastelain, Ambassador Andrew Sens
and Brigadier Tauno Nieminen over recent months, indeed
years, and their readiness to continue those efforts to
secure decommissioning as intended under the Good Friday
Agreement.
With the appointment of contact persons by the IRA and the
UFF in December 1999, all the main paramilitary groups on
ceasefire are now engaged with the Commission and that is a
significant advance.
The Commission's report points to a number of other positive
factors. The ceasefires remain in place. The silence of the
guns and the unequivocal support of the IRA and the other
paramilitary groups for the political process have played a
vital part in recent political advances.
11. februar 2000:
In our report of 31 January 2000, the Commission stated
that intense negotiations were continuing and we would
report any concrete result that came from them.
Since then, we have had several contacts with the IRA and
loyalist representatives.
The IRA declaration of support for the process leading to a
permanent peace in Ireland, the contribution made by the
cease-fires, and the statement that the IRA provides no
threat to that process are recognised.
We believe that these are important issues of considerable
significance for peace and stability in Northern Ireland and
they were reflected in our January 31 report.
Since December 1999, the IRA has engaged frankly and
hopefully with the Commission and we note their intention to
do so.
We also note the IRA assessment that the question of
British forces and loyalist paramilitaries in Northern
Ireland must be addressed.
While the future of British troops is outside our remit,
the elimination of the threat posed by loyalist paramilitary
arms is clearly within the Commission's remit.
We have been advised by loyalist representatives of their
commitment to address the issue of their arms in the context
of similar action taken by the IRA.
In our discussions this week with the UVF and UFF
representatives, each confirmed their positions as stated in
our 31 January report, and the UFF representatives further
engaged with us on methods of decommissioning and related
support issues.
We welcome the IRA's belief that the "state of perpetual
crisis" can be averted and that the issue of arms can be
resolved.
We find particularly significant, and view as valuable
progress, the assertion made to us by the IRA representative
that the IRA will consider how to put arms and explosives
beyond use, in the context of full implementation of the
Good Friday Agreement, and in the context of the removal of
the causes of conflict.
The Commission welcomes the IRA's recognition that the
issue of arms need to be dealt with in an acceptable way and
that is a necessary objective of a genuine peace process and
their statement that for those reasons they are engaged with
us.
The Commission further welcomes the IRA's commitment to
sustain and enhance its contribution to a durable peace and
their statement that they have supported and will continue
to support efforts to secure the resolution of the arms
issue.
The representatives indicated to us today (Friday) the
context in which the IRA will initiate a comprehensive
process to put arms beyond use, in a manner as to ensure
maximum public confidence.
The Commission believes that this commitment, on the basis
described above, holds out the real prospect of an agreement
which would enable it to fulfil the substance of its
mandate.
We will make a further report to the two Governments as
appropriate.
SIGNED: Tauno Nieminen, John de Chastelain, Andrew D. Sens
Belfast 11 February, 2000
Tuesday, February 15, 2000
On November 17 the leadership of the IRA agreed to appoint a representative to enter into discussions with the IICD (Independent International Commission on Decommissioning).
This was on the basis that it would be part of a series of events including, and in particular, the establishment of the political institutions set out in the Good Friday Agreement. This was designed to move the situation out of an 18-month impasse. This impasse was created and maintained by unionist intransigence and a failure by the British Government to advance the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
The British Secretary of State has reintroduced the unionist veto by suspending the political institutions. This has changed the context in which we appointed a representative to meet with the IICD and has created a deeper crisis.
Both the British Government and the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party have rejected the propositions put to the IICD by our representative. They obviously have no desire to deal with the issue of arms except on their own terms.
Those who seek a military victory in this way need to understand that this cannot and will not happen.
Those who have made the political process conditional on the decommissioning or silenced IRA guns are responsible for the current crisis in the peace process.
In the light of these changed circumstances the leadership of the IRA have decided to end our engagement with the IICD. We are also withdrawing all propositions put to the IICD by our representative since November.
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