THE British prime minister told the House of Commons yesterday that the key to progress in Northern Ireland has confidence to en able the parties to sit don together without threat of force.
In a statement on the International Body's report, Mr John Major said "The retention of arms by the paramilitaries on both sides is the biggest single factor in holding back that confidence. It has so far prevented the holding of all party talks. That is one of the reasons why we and the Irish Government established the International Body to provide an independent assessment of the decommissioning issue as one track of the twin tracks initiative John Bruton and I launched last November.
"I am extremely grateful to Senator Mitchell and his colleagues for the energy and determination with which they have completed their task ...
"The body makes a series of recommendations on the modalities of decommissioning of illegal arms. They emphatically declare that there is no equivalence between such arms and those held by the security forces. They rightly emphasise the need for independent verification...
"The body also records their conclusion, on the basis of their discussions, that the paramilitaries will not decommission any arms prior to all party negotiations. The House will note that the body did not conclude that they cannot decommission but that they will not. The House will draw its own conclusions. Although the body makes no formal recommendation on this point, they suggest an approach under which some decommissioning would take place during the process of all party negotiations.
"Madam Speaker, the government welcomes the body's endorsement of the seriousness of the decommissioning issue. We weld come and fully endorse the six principles they set out. We call on all parties to do the same.
"If all concerned were to accept these principles and honour them, as the international body also rightly emphasise, that would be a significant step forward. Even more significant would be if in addition, all parties, particularly Sinn Fein, also joined the two governments is supporting the wide principles of consent set out in the Downing Street declaration.
"The government also welcome the body's broad recommendations on the modalities of the decommissioning process. We are ready to implement them. It is now for those in possession of illegal arms to say whether they will accept and act on them. We look forward to an early and definitive response from the paramilitaries on both sides.
"We welcome, too, the emphasis on other confidence building measures. If the paramilitaries give up their present practice of keeping themselves ready for a return to action, that will be a most welcome sign of real commitment to peaceful methods. Otherwise, gun law continues to hang over the heads of the people of Northern Ireland.
"There is, therefore, much in the report we can welcome and endorse. But the practical problem remains, how to bring all the parties together. Self evidently the best way to generate the necessary confidence is for the paramilitaries to make a start to the decommissioning process. We see no reason why they should not.
"There can be no justification for the maintenance of private armies by those who claim to be Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic have shown overwhelming public support in both communities for decommissioning before talks, We shall, therefore, keep up the pressure for an immediate start to this process.
"However, I am not prepared to accept that any one group should, through their intransigence, stand in the way of peace and a comprehensive settlement for the people of Northern Ireland. We will not be deflected from our aim. It is now apparent that there may well be another way forward, consistent with the basic principles we have always adhered to.
"One of the confidence building measures taken up by the international body is the idea of an election. The body made clear that a broadly acceptable elective process, with an appropriate mandate and within the three strand structure, could contribute to the building of confidence. Madam Speaker, the government believe that such an elective process offers a viable alternative direct route to the confidence necessary to bring about all party negotiations being taken forward in parallel ...
"As the Mitchell report says Elections held in accordance with democratic principles express and reflect the popular will. So let me make it quite clear to the House that we are ready to introduce legislation and to seek both Houses urgent approval for it, in order to allow an elective process to go ahead as soon as may be practicable. I would hope that this will attract support right across the House.
"To sum up, Madam Speaker, we believe that in the light of the Mitchell report, there are two ways in which all party negotiations can now be taken forward. Both are fully consistent with the six principles set out in the report.
"The first is for the paramilitaries to make a start to decommissioning before all party negotiations. They can if they have the will. If not, the second is to secure a democratic mandate for all party negotiations through elections specially for that purpose.
"There are two routes to all party negotiations and to decommissioning. The choice between them is ultimately for the parties themselves. I believe that the people of Northern Ireland have every right to expect that one of other of these routes will be taken and taken soon.
"For our part we, together with the Irish Government, will intensify our discussions with all the parties. I intend to meet the Taoiseach again in the middle of February to review progress.
"Madam Speaker, the people of Northern Ireland are enjoying today's peace. They want it to be permanent. They also want and deserve political progress. It is time to put old enmities aside and to allow the people of Northern Ireland and their representatives once again to have a normal say in their future and their affairs.