The Taoiseach has expressed his "disappointment" at the decision of the British government to postpone Assembly elections in Northern Ireland.
The decision was announced by the Northern Secretary Mr Paul Murphy in the House of Commons shortly after 2.30 p.m.
"I disagree with the British government on the postponement of the elections. I re-iterated this in conversations with the Mr Blair last evening and this morning. Ultimately I believed that another postponement causes more problems for the peace process," Mr Ahern said outside Government Buildings in Dublin.
Speaking at the same time in London the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair said the postponement had been made necessary by the refusal of republicans to state specifically that the IRA's leadership would no longer authorise a series of paramilitary activities defined in the two governments' blueprint.
Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams's statement yesterday had not clarified the issue, he argued.
Mr Ahern made it clear that the he did not endorse the British decision but "it must be made clear that the strength of the partnership between the two governments must endure."
"This is essential in overcoming the difficulties in the period ahead," he said.
"The joint declaration, which we now publish, indicates very clearly the work we've engaged in the past six months. We will implement some aspects were it is possible to do so. It is an active document with ongoing purpose. I regret that we did not release it in the context that was intended and understood by all of the parties.
"There were several fundamental aspects of March's IRA statement that both governments felt needed clarification. I strongly believe that the IRA should publish this declaration - it would then be clear why further clarification is necessary.
"Over time, the environment in which clarifications were sought, and were eventually being given, was deteriorating. I regret that we did not have a clear and unambiguous statement to begin with - this would have solved everything.
"In the end, however, it was not possible to have sufficient clarity to convince everyone that paramilitarism was at an end. This is an issue which must be resolved."