THE Methodist Church's Council on Social Responsibility has accepted the main thrust of the Mitchell commission's report that "the realistic assessment of decommissionings is that the paramilitaries will not engage in any form of decommissioning at this stage."
The Methodist council's own submission to the commission had reached the same conclusion, stressing that "it is imperative to talk and to put the issue of decommissioning of arms very high on the agenda."committed to the process of peace".
The council said "This is a defining moment in the peace process. It is clear that no side can achieve all that it wants ... There is no place at this delicate moment for triumphalism, domination, exclusion, point scoring or rubbishing of one another. Equally, there is no place for instant dismissal of suggested options such as an elected body leading to all party talks as outlined in the Mitchell report".
A Catholic press office spokesman said yesterday that there would be no immediate comment on the Mitchell report from the Catholic Primate, Cardinal Daly, although in due time, after studying it, he would respond. A Church of Ireland spokeswoman said the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Eames, was in transit from the US and would not be able to respond until his return later today.