IRA 'risking peace over weapons pictures'
The IRA is denying Northern Ireland a huge peace process breakthrough by refusing to allow photographs of disarmament, a Democratic Unionist MP warned today.
As hopes faded for Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair's formula for reviving power sharing, East Derry MP Gregory Campbell insisted photographic evidence of the destruction of IRA weapons was a basic requirement of any deal with Sinn Féin.
“At this stage, there does not appear to be any closing of the gap overnight,” he said.
“For a number of weeks everyone in Northern Ireland has known what is required to give confidence to the decommissioning process.
“We all knew there had to be some form of visual evidence for the wider public to be satisfied that decommissioning had occurred.
“So, this is not some last-minute demand. Republicans have known what they have to do and can’t simply pick and choose from the governments’ proposals.
“The prize facing us all is a really big one but it looks like republicans are not coming up to the mark.”
Deal or no deal, Ahern and Blair are expected to publish around 23 pages of proposals to revive devolution during a visit to Belfast.
The document covers a range of issues from disarmament and power-sharing to the tearing down of British army bases in Northern Ireland and troop reductions.
The document is also believed to name an international photographer who could have provided the evidence of an IRA decommissioning act.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams appeared yesterday to rule out any photograph, describing it as an act of humiliation.
The IRA said last night it has been in talks with the head of the international disarmament commission, General John de Chastelain, about a move to put weapons beyond use.
But while it is believed the organisation was prepared to allow Protestant and Catholic clergy to witness a decommissioning act, it viewed a photograph as a step too far.
Mr Adams said yesterday: “I recognise that some unionists do have genuine concerns about verification of arms being put beyond use, but Ian Paisley has to recognise also that the IRA will not submit to a process of humiliation.
“I do not expect Ian Paisley or the DUP or the unionist paramilitaries to submit to such a process of humiliation.”
Mr Adams was expected to speak to Mr Blair by phone before the British prime minister headed to Belfast.
