The Taoiseach believes that the IRA will announce a "meaningful and permanent" cessation of violence, possibly later today. He confirmed last night that the Government has reopened lines of communication with Sinn Fein since entering office three weeks ago.
It is understood that his Northern adviser, Dr Martin Mansergh, and the newly-appointed Ambassador to the United States, Mr Sean O hUiginn, who is still in Dublin, have renewed contacts with the Sinn Fein leadership in the last few days because of the prospect of a new cessation of violence.
Government representatives held two private meetings with members of the Ulster Unionist Party in the last two weeks to offer clarification of the Irish position on the decommissioning of arms. One of these meetings was held in Belfast between the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Burke, and the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble.
Government sources said last night that they believe the agreement to call a new IRA ceasefire was secured only yesterday. Mr Ahern said last night that as he understood it, Mr Gerry Adams and Mr Martin McGuinness have given the IRA a detailed assessment of the current situation, as they said they would do. They believed that the conditions for a ceasefire were there. They recommended it on the basis set out in their statement yesterday.
"I understand that the IRA will not have any undue delay about a response," he added.
Asked what would convince him that the IRA statement would sincere and genuine this time, Mr Ahern responded: "I believe that the last one was sincere and genuine. Unfortunately the circumstances that should have under-pinned it never happened. Hopefully, the statement that will come will set out their understanding and I would hope that they will talk about a meaningful and permanent cessation of violence."
Mr Ahern said that it would not be correct to assume that the joint decommissioning paper formed the basis for Sinn Fein to go back to the IRA. He believed that the clarification documents, amounting to 20 pages, and many other issues which both the Irish and British Governments had explained, had brought it about - both the letter of clarification by Mr Quentin Thomas on behalf of the British Government and "the letters of clarification I have set out on behalf of the Irish Government".
The decision by the Orange Order to re-route contentious parades two weeks ago had been "very, very important," Mr Ahern continued.
Asked if he was concerned that the UUP might pull out of the Belfast talks, the Taoiseach said that he would try equally hard to make sure that the unionists were involved. The British Prime Minister had clarified, at great length, the issues that the unionists were asking about.
"We have had two meetings over the last two weeks with the unionists clarifying various issues and stating where we stand," he added.
Indicating that the Government had been involved in numerous meetings during the week to explain the clarification documents, Mr Ahern said that most of his contacts had been with the British Government at all levels, and with the US administration.
Asked if there had been any meetings between Government officials and Sinn Fein over the last few days with the prospect of a ceasefire, Mr Ahern replied: "There have certainly been lines of communication."
