LEADERS WELCOME STATEMENT
Leaders welcome statement
By William Graham
Political Correspondent
BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair said last night that Sinn Fein deserved to be taken seriously in their commitment to exclusively peaceful means.
Mr Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern warmly welcomed the significant statement from Gerry Adams that "Sinn Fein believe the violence we have seen must be for all of us now a thing of the past, over, done with and gone".
The prime minister said that Mr Adams's statement should help to build confidence and break down barriers of mistrust.
"Omagh seems to have had the opposite effect to that intended by the bombers. It has strengthened the Belfast agreement, has brought the communities closer together and it has isolated the splinter groups even further," Mr Blair said.
Secretary of State Mo Mowlam said: "This is a significant statement building on what Gerry Adams said after the Omagh bombing, and I warmly welcome it.
"I particularly welcome the clear indication that violence must now be a thing of the past. Of course, there is a long way to go. But what Gerry Adams has said should help importantly to create the necessary atmosphere of trust in the intentions of Sinn Fein and those with whom they are associated, in which - following the Good Friday agreement - the political process can continue to move forward.
"We must all now do everything we can to maintain the momentum of the process addressing both past problems and future difficulties."
Alliance chief whip David Ford also welcomed the statement but called on Sinn Fein to use its influence to ensure an end to paramilitary activity.
"This statement is welcome as another step on the way to Sinn Fein distancing itself from acts of violence.
However, we require more than words from SF. There remains serious concerns about activities like paramilitary beatings right across the community.
"Sinn Fein must use its influence to ensure an end to such activities, and comply with all the terms of the Good Friday agreement, including the disbandment of paramilitary organisations," Mr Ford said.
DUP justice spokesman Ian Paisley junior issued a statement headlined "the war goes on".
Mr Paisley said: "The IRA remain armed to the teeth, the IRA possess the greatest terrorist capability in Europe and the IRA continue their wave of barbaric punishment beatings.
"The words of Gerry Adams cannot be trusted. The deeds matter. The ordering of the immediate decommissioning of the IRA is the place to start and until that decommissioning is completed no one should have any faith in his word."
Republican Sinn Fein president Ruairi O Bradaigh said Mr Adams ignored the basic cause of the centuries-old conflict which was the unjust and undemocratic British government presence here.
"Until that basic question is faced there cannot be democracy in Ireland. The best guarantee for a democratic settlement and a permanent peace is a British disengagement from Ireland and a new four-province federation with maximum devolution to local level," Mr O Bradaigh said.
FAIT Development Officer Glyn Roberts said: "Although we are disappointed that he did not say the war is over, it is significant that Gerry Adams stated that all violence should belong to the past. If this statement is genuinely saying that there will be an end to all forms of paramilitary violence, including so-called IRA punishment attacks, then we will give it a warm welcome. We hope that this is not a false dawn."
By William Graham
Political Correspondent
BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair said last night that Sinn Fein deserved to be taken seriously in their commitment to exclusively peaceful means.
Mr Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern warmly welcomed the significant statement from Gerry Adams that "Sinn Fein believe the violence we have seen must be for all of us now a thing of the past, over, done with and gone".
The prime minister said that Mr Adams's statement should help to build confidence and break down barriers of mistrust.
"Omagh seems to have had the opposite effect to that intended by the bombers. It has strengthened the Belfast agreement, has brought the communities closer together and it has isolated the splinter groups even further," Mr Blair said.
Secretary of State Mo Mowlam said: "This is a significant statement building on what Gerry Adams said after the Omagh bombing, and I warmly welcome it.
"I particularly welcome the clear indication that violence must now be a thing of the past. Of course, there is a long way to go. But what Gerry Adams has said should help importantly to create the necessary atmosphere of trust in the intentions of Sinn Fein and those with whom they are associated, in which - following the Good Friday agreement - the political process can continue to move forward.
"We must all now do everything we can to maintain the momentum of the process addressing both past problems and future difficulties."
Alliance chief whip David Ford also welcomed the statement but called on Sinn Fein to use its influence to ensure an end to paramilitary activity.
"This statement is welcome as another step on the way to Sinn Fein distancing itself from acts of violence.
However, we require more than words from SF. There remains serious concerns about activities like paramilitary beatings right across the community.
"Sinn Fein must use its influence to ensure an end to such activities, and comply with all the terms of the Good Friday agreement, including the disbandment of paramilitary organisations," Mr Ford said.
DUP justice spokesman Ian Paisley junior issued a statement headlined "the war goes on".
Mr Paisley said: "The IRA remain armed to the teeth, the IRA possess the greatest terrorist capability in Europe and the IRA continue their wave of barbaric punishment beatings.
"The words of Gerry Adams cannot be trusted. The deeds matter. The ordering of the immediate decommissioning of the IRA is the place to start and until that decommissioning is completed no one should have any faith in his word."
Republican Sinn Fein president Ruairi O Bradaigh said Mr Adams ignored the basic cause of the centuries-old conflict which was the unjust and undemocratic British government presence here.
"Until that basic question is faced there cannot be democracy in Ireland. The best guarantee for a democratic settlement and a permanent peace is a British disengagement from Ireland and a new four-province federation with maximum devolution to local level," Mr O Bradaigh said.
FAIT Development Officer Glyn Roberts said: "Although we are disappointed that he did not say the war is over, it is significant that Gerry Adams stated that all violence should belong to the past. If this statement is genuinely saying that there will be an end to all forms of paramilitary violence, including so-called IRA punishment attacks, then we will give it a warm welcome. We hope that this is not a false dawn."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0201
Published Date: 02-Sep-98
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