The following is the statement issued by the two governments after yesterday's talks.
In a joint statement on May 5th, 2000, the two governments set out proposals for securing implementation of the Good Friday agreement by June 2001, and committed themselves to taking the steps necessary on their part to achieve that goal. Since then, substantial progress has been made but outstanding difficulties remain, and we have been intensively discussing with the pro-agreement parties how these can be overcome.
In a statement on May 6th, 2000, the IRA undertook to initiate a process that would completely and verifiably put IRA arms beyond use. Today, they have announced that they will enter into further discussions with the IICD, on the basis of their earlier commitment. This is a welcome development. Discussions should now start promptly and lead to agreement on the ways in which arms will be put completely and verifiably beyond use. We look forward to early and positive reports from the IICD about progress made. It remains vital that all paramilitary groups engage fully and actively with the IICD, so that the issue of paramilitary arms is definitively resolved.
The two governments believe that once the IICD reports that, as a first step, the IRA will agree with the IICD a scheme for putting IRA arms beyond use to enable the commission to discharge the mandate given to it by the two governments in May (i.e. to consider "whether there are any further proposals for decommissioning schemes which offer the commission greater scope to proceed in more effective and satisfactory ways with the discharging of its basic mandate"); and that it expects agreement to be reached before long, this will have helped create the context in which the objectives set out in the two governments' statement of May 5th, 2000, can be secured.
As indicated in the May statement, the British government will continue progressively to take all the necessary steps to secure as early a return as possible to normal security arrangements in Northern Ireland, consistent with the level of threat, on which it will continue to consult with the Irish Government. In the context set out above, the British government would continue with a security normalisation process to include reductions in the level of troops and installations in Northern Ireland until normality is restored.
The two governments also recognise that, with the completion of the early release scheme, there is an issue to be addressed about supporters of organisations now on ceasefire against whom there are outstanding prosecutions, and in some cases, extradition proceedings, for offences committed before 10 April 1998. Such people would, if convicted, stand to benefit from the early release scheme. The governments accept that, in the context of the agreement of May 2000 being implemented, it would be a natural development of the scheme for such prosecutions not to be pursued, and would intend as soon as possible thereafter to take such steps as were necessary in their jurisdictions to resolve this difficulty, so that those concerned were no longer pursued.
It continues to be essential that the full operation of the North South Ministerial Council and British Irish Council resume, and that all of the institutions continue their important work. The two governments will do all within their power to sustain the full operation of the institutions, including during any formal review of the agreement which may be necessary, and call on others to do likewise.
The two governments are fully committed to the agreement's vision of a new beginning in policing through the establishment of a policing service capable of attracting and sustaining support from the community as a whole. The two governments are aware of concerns that have been expressed about whether the British government's legislation and plans for implementation fully reflect the letter and spirit of the Patten report and deliver the new police service we all want. Significant progress has been made and discussions will continue. The two governments now believe that agreement will be reached in June.
With a view to coordinating and monitoring the implementation of remaining aspects of the agreement, the two governments will continue to work closely together, and to consult the parties.
There is now an opportunity to restore the momentum behind the implementation of the agreement and to achieve the goal of a permanent peace and political stability. We urge all concerned to respond positively to this statement.