The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, has said the continuing discussions about restoring the institutions provided for under the Belfast Agreement had to achieve "a post-conflict situation where all arms are put beyond use".
In an interview on RTE Radio's This Week programme, Mr Cowen described recent attempts by the Government to broaden the context for discussions on implementing the Belfast Agreement. Recent statements from the Taoiseach and Mr Cowen have sought to expand the agenda beyond decommissioning of paramilitary weapons and the reintroduction of devolved institutions.
Mr Cowen said the Mitchell review of the Belfast Agreement did not work because it worked within the narrow context of decommissioning and devolution.
He said that while the outcome of the Mitchell review had provided the background to the current difficulties, it was now important to broaden the context of the discussions to ensure all aspects of the Belfast Agreement were implemented.
Mr Cowen stressed that decommissioning was an essential part of the Belfast Agreement and that "everyone needs to have the same idea about what that means so we can proceed".
The key question, he said, was "Are arms going to be put beyond use in a post-conflict situation?".
The current discussions would indicate whether an answer to that question could be provided.
"If there was an answer to it today, we would have the institutions up and running tomorrow," he said.
The Minister also stressed the importance for the nationalist community in the North of a demilitarisation programme from the British government.
"We need to address the security infrastructure that is in place, that has no relation to the present political realities," he said.
In many parts of the North the security presence was the same as when the first paramilitary ceasefires were called in August 1994.
While Mr Cowen would not be drawn on whether agreement could be reached before the May 22nd deadline for decommissioning in the Belfast Agreement, he stressed that the pro-agreement parties "need to get down to what the political realities are".