The US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, and the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, said yesterday that Tuesday's breakthrough in Northern Ireland served as proof that peace processes could work.
This "shows what can happen when one remains persistent and with a determination to solve what appear to be intractable problems," Mr Powell said.
"I hope what we have seen in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours. . .is an example of what can be achieved when people of good will come together, recognise they have strong differences - differences that they have fought over for years - but that it's time to put those differences aside," he said.
Mr Straw said the IRA move to put some of its arms beyond use showed that progress could be achieved even at the direst of moments.