Reiss hails 'encouraging' IRA pledge
The IRA’s pledge to abandon its armed campaign was hailed a dramatic step forward today by senior Irish American figures.
President George Bush’s special envoy on the North, Mitchell Reiss, described the statement as “very positive and very encouraging”.
He said whether it was truly historic would be determined in the coming weeks and months.
“We will soon see whether these words will be turned into deeds,” he said. “Everybody would like to move as quickly as possible but let’s move ahead clearly and do it in a way which gives reassurance.”
Mr Reiss was briefed on developments in Washington this morning by Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness and said he had been encouraged by what he was told.
Republican congressman Peter King branded the breakthrough “a truly defining moment in Irish history”.
He said it was the “most dramatic step forward in advancing the peace process”.
King, a leading Sinn Féin supporter, said he had been told two large IRA arms caches would be destroyed later in the day, but he said he did not know where.
“I can understand the Unionists having some scepticism, which is why I think it will take several months to go back into government, but there’s no reason negotiations can’t start immediately,” he said.
King said he believed pressure from the White House and members of Congress had given the IRA a needed push.
“I think they were going in this direction anyway, but the process had become stalemated,” he added. “I think the pressure from the US actually helped Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness convince elements in the IRA that this had to be done.”
