The Chief Constable of the RUC, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, said tonight he was satisfied with the levels of IRA decommissioning so far.
"I think their war can be over," he said. "To say that it is definitively over would be just a step too far at this stage."
"Anyone who knows the history of violent Irish republicanism knows that the decision to take this step is much more important and significant than the amount of material actually affected by the decision.
"Therefore, we are certainly the closest yet, in my estimation, to saying that the war waged by the Provisional IRA is over."
He said he had "no hesitation" in recommending the British army demilitarisation process outlined by Dr John Reid in the House of Commons this afternoon.
He confirmed, however, that the RUC had arrested two suspected dissident republicans this afternoon in possession of a sub-machinegun.
They were arrested on the Moira interchange of the M1 motorway.
Sir Ronnie reiterated Dr Reid’s statement that there is still a considerable risk of violence from loyalist and splinter republican paramilitaries.