OLDEST IRISH AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN USA, ESTABLISHED IN 1928
Category: Archive

Trimble says IRA will move on arms

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Jack Holland

The leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, David Trimble, who resigned from his post as first minister in Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government on July 1, told the Irish Echo that he believed that the IRA is engaged in "talking to their own side" as a prelude to a move on decommissioning.

Trimble’s resignation was caused by the IRA’s refusal to decommission and has thrown the peace process into yet another crisis.

There is mounting speculation that selected IRA arms dumps will be covered in concrete to put their weapons and explosives "verifiably beyond use." Asked if such a gesture would be enough for him to win support from Unionists, allowing him to resume his post, Trimble said: "The critical thing is that it meets the basic requirements of de Chastelain [chairman of the International Independent Body on Decommissioning]. Unless he can clearly certify it, it won’t be acceptable."

However, Trimble would not be drawn on whether his fellow Unionists would find the proposal to concrete the dumps enough, even if the de Chastelain body certifies it is. He said that de Chastelain’s remit is to judge whether the weapons have been put beyond use.

"You can concrete over dumps without destroying the gear inside," he said.

Sign up to The Irish Echo Newsletter

It is significant that the Unionist leader is now stressing the "remit" of de Chastelain, whose decommissioning body was set up under the auspices of the Good Friday agreement. Unionists had previously tended to make their demands for IRA movement on arms unilaterally and as a result were accused of going outside the framework of the agreement.

Though Trimble expressed some optimism on the prospect for some forward movement, he said he thinks it is possible that the leadership of the republican movement is trying "to get away with something not permanent" when it comes to the arms issue. He said that recent criticisms of de Chastelain by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams might be a signal of a move in this direction. Adams had criticized the "remit" of the decommissioning body in a speech in London during the Weston Park talks, which were the latest attempt to resolve the problem.

Trimble also alleged that the IRA is still engaged in operations, including a huge robbery on June 8, but that because of the government’s eagerness not to upset Sinn Fein’s position within the talks, the truth is being suppressed.

"The problem goes back to Ronnie Flanagan [RUC Chief Constable]," he said. "He judges it is in the public interest not to say PIRA did this."

The Weston Park talks ended without being able to resolve the outstanding issues of decommissioning, policing, demilitarization and the stability of the institutions set up by the agreement. The Irish and British governments are currently putting together a "package" based on those talks to submit to all the parties as a "take-it-or-leave-it" offer. According to Trimble, it will be "a revamp" of the package that was offered at the beginning of February. It will involve further concessions from Britain on the issue of IRA members who are still on the run — the so-called "OTRs" — and steps toward demilitarization. These will come in return for IRA moves to put their weapons beyond use.

"There won’t be any surprises," the Unionist leader predicted. When asked if he thought he would get his old job back, he replied that the chances were "better than even" that he’d be first minister again by the fall.

In a separate interview, the Northern Ireland secretary of state, Dr. John Reid, insisted that "the full implementation of the agreement is the only basis for lasting peace." He said that "if there was a signal from the IRA" in relation to arms decommissioning, then "that would reduce the security threat and we could do more" on demilitarization.

But in making any moves, he said, "we must carry both sides of the community with us."

The minister said that troop level were at their lowest in 30 years.

Dr. Reid confessed that the government had "considerable concern about the Unionist community."

"That is what worries me," he said. It was not about "the resignation of an individual."

The Northern Ireland secretary of state was eager to emphasize the importance of the cooperation between the Irish and British governments.

"It is historically quite significant," he said. "It has never been stronger. It forms the bedrock of the Good Friday agreement. It forms the basis of the package." Asked how long the parties had to respond to the package, which is expected to be delivered next week, Dr. Reid answered: "I don’t indulge in giving deadlines."

Other Articles You Might Like

Sign up to our Daily Newsletter

Click to access the login or register cheese