|
Af Paul-Frederik Bach Hjemmeside English section |
|
Erklæringer i anledning af fredsprocessens genoptagelse i maj 2000 2000-05-05
The following is the full text of the statement issued by
the British and Irish governments at Hillsborough Castle
last night:
1. In recent weeks the two governments have taken stock of
progress in implementing the Good Friday Agreement.
2. Much progress has already been made but there has been
disagreement over how and when implementation of remaining
aspects of the Agreement should be achieved.
3. The governments now believe that the remaining steps
necessary to secure full implementation of the agreement can
be achieved by June 2001, and commit themselves to that
goal. They have drawn up and are communicating to the
parties, an account of these steps.
4. Subject to a positive response to this statement the
British government will bring forward the necessary order to
enable the Assembly to be restored by 22 May 2000.
5. With confidence that there are clear proposals for
implementing all other aspects of the Agreement, the
government believe that paramilitary organisations must now,
for their part, urgently state clearly that they will put
their arms completely and verifiably beyond use. Such
statements would constitute a clear reduction in the threat.
In response, the British government would, subject to its
assessment of the level of threat at the time, on which it
will continue to consult regularly with the Irish
government, take further substantial normalisation measures
by June 2001.
6. The IICD (Independent International Commission on
Decommissioning) will continue its task under the Agreement.
The government will now ask the IICD to consider urgently,
in consultation with representatives of the paramilitary
organisations, whether there are any further proposals for
decommissioning schemes which offer the Commission greater
scope to proceed in more effective and satisfactory ways
with the discharge of its basic mandate and to report. The
government will give early consideration to any such
proposals. The Commission will make further reports as
necessary. Those reports will be published promptly by the
two governments.
7. Progress to full implementation of all aspects of the
Agreement will be periodically assessed by the two
governments, in consultation with the Northern Ireland
parties.
8. If difficulties arise in the implementation of the
Agreement (for example, the IICD reports that it does not
believe that arms will be put beyond use, or the
institutions are not operating in good faith as envisaged in
the Agreement), the two governments will, in consultation
with the Assembly and the Executive, carry out an immediate
formal review under the terms of the Agreement.
2000-05-06
The leadership of the IRA is committed to a just and lasting peace. We
have sustained that commitment despite the abuse of the peace process by
those who persist with the aim of defeating the IRA and Irish
Republicans. Republicans believe that the British government claim to a
part of Ireland, its denial of national self-determination to the people
of the island of Ireland, the
partition of our country and the maintenance of social and economic
inequality in the Six Counties are the root causes of conflict.
The maintenance of our cessation is our contribution to the peace
process and to the creation of a future in which the causes of
conflict are resolved by peaceful means. For our part, the IRA
leadership is committed to resolving the issue of arms. The
political responsibility for advancing the current situation rests with
the two governments, especially the British government, and the
leadership of the political parties. The full implementation, on a
progressive and irreversible basis by the two governments, especially
the British government, of what they have agreed will provide a
political context, in an enduring political process, with the potential
to remove the causes of conflict, and in which Irish Republicans, and
Unionists can, as equals pursue our respective political objectives
peacefully.
In that context, the IRA leadership will initiate a process that will
completely and verifiably put IRA arms beyond use. We will
do it in such a way as to avoid risk to the public and misappropriation
by others and ensure maximum public confidence. We will resume contact
with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and
enter into further discussions with the Commission on the basis of the
IRA leadership's commitment to resolving the issue of arms. We look to
the two Governments and especially the British government to fulfil
their commitments under the Good Friday Agreement and the Joint
Statement. To facilitate the speedy and full implementation of the Good
Friday Agreement and the government's measures, our arms are silent and
secure. There is no threat to the peace process from the IRA.
In this context, the IRA leadership has agreed to put in place, within
weeks, a confidence-building measure to confirm that our
weapons remain secure. The contents of a number of our arms dumps will
be inspected by agreed third parties, who will report that they have
done so to the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
The dumps will be re-inspected regularly to ensure that the weapons have
remained silent.
P. O'Neill
|
Hjemmeside English section
|