The British government was today accused of stepping outside the Belfast Agreement by proposing a commission to monitor paramilitary ceasefires in Northern Ireland.
As MPs debated legislation setting up the four-member commission that will also monitor how parties and governments are honouring commitments in the Agreement, senior Sinn Féin negotiator Mr Gerry Kelly denounced the body as a sop to unionists.
The former North Belfast MLA said: "Everyone knows that this legislation establishing the International Monitoring Commission is the result of efforts by the British Government to appease unionism further.
"Since it was first established it has been further modified to meet the demands of the various unionist factions.
"The principal difficulty with this Commission is the fact that it gives power and authority to a British minister which fundamentally alters and is outside the terms of the Good Friday Agreement," Mr Kelly said.
"Sinn Fín have no problems with accountability; however, we will not support mechanisms which fall totally outside the terms of the Good Friday Agreement."
The independent monitoring commission is made up of four representatives, - two nominated by Britain, one from the Republic and another from the United States.
The Commission will report regularly on paramilitary activity, how the British government is carrying out its plans to scale down military installations and reduce the British army presence in Northern Ireland, and will investigate breaches of the Agreement by political parties.
PA