The British and Irish governments have said a solution can be found to the current stalemate on decommissioning. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, yesterday said he believed the problem could be resolved.
Mr Andrews, who was on a oneday visit to Belfast, said: "We can't give up on decommissioning. I don't deny it is a problem but I believe we will find a solution." He said discussions were continuing and acknowledged it was "a very sensitive time". All political leaders must act judiciously, he said.
The Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, also said she had not given up hope of decommissioning taking place despite recent statements from both Sinn Fein and loyalist politicians that it was unrealistic in the near future. Neither side wanted to move first but she believed if there were "small steps forward", progress was possible.
Mr Andrews visited several locations in north Belfast and the city centre during his visit. When asked if the October 31st deadline for the establishment of cross-Border bodies would be met, he said people wanted peace and politicians would "not be thanked if we don't get on with the business". He added: "Basically we have got two weeks. We will do our best to fulfil our obligation to what it says in the agreement in that regard."
Mr Andrews described the chairman of the international decommissioning body, Gen John de Chastelain, as "a very experienced individual" and said he would be working hard to end the impasse. During his visit, Mr Andrews announced £500,000 funding from the Government over the next two years for Co-operation Ireland, which promotes crossBorder co-operation. He later met community activists in the city centre including the Ulster Democratic Party's prisons spokesman, Mr Johnny White, and former republican prisoner Mr Tommy Gorman. Meanwhile, the Ulster Unionists have described the Progressive Unionist Party's position on decommissioning as "music to Sinn Fein's ears".
At its annual conference last weekend, the PUP said there would be no decommissioning in the near future and even if the Provisional IRA handed over arms, the UVF might not follow suit. UUP Assemblyman Mr Reg Empey said the PUP's position was "a repudiation of the Mitchell report and a stab in the back for David Trimble".
Mr Empey said: "Unionists might be forgiven for wondering why, when the pressure is mounting on Sinn Fein over the decommissioning issue, loyalists ride to the rescue with a provocative statement designed to scupper the chances of decommissioning and reinforce Sinn Fein in its intransigence.
"It is regrettable that loyalists see fit at this time to take pressure off republicans and place it on the heads of fellow unionists." Mr Empey said the only people to gain from the PUP's position were anti-agreement unionists and militant republicans.
Mr Gerry Adams has claimed many Americans are critical of Mr Trimble for "slowing down" the peace process over decommissioning. The Sinn Fein president, who is on a week-long trip to the US, said: "The people I meet here are questioning Mr Trimble's commitment to the Good Friday Agreement. Mr Trimble is increasingly being viewed as being responsible for slowing down or preventing implementation of the agreement.
"The sixth-month anniversary of the signing of the agreement occurred on Saturday. It should have been - it could have been - an occasion for acknowledging considerable political progress in terms of the implementation of the agreement."