IN A television broadcast last night, the British Prime Minister promised to continue the search for lasting peace in Northern Ireland.
He also stressed the IRA would never bomb its way to the negotiating table.
As he took the unusual step of addressing the British public directly, he warned that there might be other bombs in the wake of the Docklands attack and promised that "the IRA criminals who murdered innocent people last Friday" would be hunted down.
Mr Major used his broadcast to try to dispel misunderstandings over his proposal for elections to a new body in Northern Ireland.
He stressed that his proposed elected body would exist for a short time only and for the one purpose of leading directly to negotiations.
But Sinn Fein and the IRA could have no voice in the North's future until they renounced violence again.
"Sinn Fein and the IRA have a choice.
"Only when they commit themselves unequivocally to peace, and reinstate the ceasefire, can they have a voice and a stake in Northern Ireland's future.
"But if they reject democratic principles and use violence, they can expect no sympathy and no quarter.
Mr Major went on: "When Sinn Fein/IRA blocked the road to the decommissioning of weapons, we and the Irish Government set up an international body under the distinguished American Senator George Mitchell.
"Even then, Sinn Fein said the IRA would not begin taking its weapons out of commission.
"Even then, Sinn Fein was no more prepared to accept the principles put forward by Senator Mitchell than they had been prepared to accept those in the Downing Street Declaration."
Explaining his plan for elections, Mr Major said:
"I am not proposing an assembly to run Northern Ireland or to legislate.
"My proposal doesn't seek to revive the old Stormont Parliament. Those that have said so are deceiving the people of Northern Ireland.
"The elected body I propose would exist for a short time only and for one principal purpose to lead directly to negotiations."
"There is a new spirit in Northern Ireland, a spirit for peace. We will not allow the terrible losses of those who have suffered from terrorism to be in vain.
"On Friday night, at one minute past seven, the IRA broke their word.
"They shattered promises made in their name and by their representatives.
"But I will never weaken my resolve to bring a just and lasting settlement to Northern Ireland.
"Peace does not have to be a dream.
"The people of Northern Ireland - the people I have come to know over the past five years - want peace.
"It is to their voice, above all, that I shall listen.
"My goal is a lasting peace. I shall go on working until we have achieved it."