Provos: We were ready to lay down our weapons (from the Irish Independent, byline Brian Dowling and Gene McKenna)

"THE IRA was prepared to put all its weapons beyond use before the latest crisis hit the peace process.

But the Provisionals made it clear last night that the offer was now off the table.

Their plan for full disarmament was outlined in a statement issued to the Irish and British governments on April 13 and made public for the first time last night after Taoiseach Bertie Ahern met British Prime Tony Blair in Dublin.

In the April 13 statement the pIRA disclosed it had renewed contact with General John de Chastelain's international decommissioning body, and said arrangements to put beyond use a third quantity of weapons and explosives was at an advanced stage."

What else do the British want? Only the UUP wanted the elections to be postponed (and by that they really mean cancelled), and on the basis of this document, I don't understand what the British justification was. I think working on these arrangements should be the clear sign that the British wanted that the pIRA was willing to give up violence. It's time for someone else to meet the pIRA halfway.

"It went on to say that decommissioning of all IRA weapons would require a decision could only be taken by a "general army convention" representing "all volunteers"."

That's part of the problem with this whole idea. The pIRA operates on a decentralised cell system, so there's really no way that they can decommission all weapons without talking to all volunteers who have these weapons. That's not them stonewalling. That's the fact of the matter.

"It indicated that such a convention would be called, saying: "The IRA leadership reiterates our commitment to resolving the issues of arms. The commitments from the two governments, including the ending of the suspension of the political institutions and the firm pledge by the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party that he will actively support the sustained working of the political institutions and other elements of the Good Friday Agreement, enables us to do this."

The April 13 statement was intended as a response to the Joint Declaration in which the governments would present their road map for the North. But it was rejected as inadequate by the governments and so the process ground to a halt."

I'm not sure what else they want the pIRA to do. I know they want a clear disavowal of paramilitary techniques, but I don't think the pIRA can do this without some sign from the Protestant terrorist groups (UDA, UFF, UVF, Red Hand of Ulster, etc) that they are willing to do the same thing.

"Last night the Taoiseach and Tony Blair renewed their call for a permanent end to all paramilitary activity. But their appeal looked to have fallen on deaf ears when the IRA, in a new statement, said it regretted that its earlier willingness to facilitate political progress had been rejected by the two governments and the Ulster Unionist party.

According to last night's statement, the IRA leadership had re-engaged with the International Decommissioning Body headed by General John de Chastelain and plans were "at an advanced stage" for a third disposal of weapons only to be hampered by the deadlock in the political negotiations."

In a development, which will be worrying for the two governments, the IRA said these initiatives had now been "overtaken by events" - a reference to the postponement of the Assembly elections and the failure to conclude a political agreement.

Although it reaffirms the IRA's commitment to the peace process, the latest statement strongly suggests that decommissioning is off the agenda for the present."

Shit. Look, most people in Belfast support the Good Friday Agreements (and I don't think I'm talking out of my ass here). And, in the past, I've blamed the pIRA for not being willing to compromise. But it's someone else's turn, too. The pIRA may have started the violence in the North (and that's debatable and depends largely on when you date the Troubles to and whether you believe the British or the pIRA were at fault on Bloody Sunday), but they're sure as hell not the only ones perpetuating it.

I realise that most people reading this blog don't care about this issue. Oh, well, it's my blog and I can be as self-absorbed as I like.