Decommissioning central to agreement, Mitchell says

Decommissioning is an "indispensable" part of the Belfast Agreement and should begin as soon as possible, Senator George Mitchell has said.

During a visit to University College Dublin yesterday, the senator said decommissioning was central to the agreement, "even if the precise details of it remain to be worked out" between the parties to the talks.

"We don't have an answer to it at this point, but it will have to be dealt with . . . There should be decommissioning. It should begin as early as possible and it should be as complete as possible."

Speaking at a press conference after addressing an open forum with students, Senator Mitchell left open the possibility that he would return to Ireland during the course of the referendum campaigns.

He said he had agreed to accompany President Clinton if the White House decided on a return visit. But asked if he would accept an invitation from any of the parties North and South, he said he would "wait and see".

"I'm still getting reacquainted with my family and I haven't been in my office for two months," he added. "But obviously I'm deeply committed to the situation here and very involved in an emotional way."

He praised the courage of the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, in "a very difficult political situation," and warned that the result of the referendums North and South was not assured. Proponents of the agreement needed to get out and put what was a very strong case, he said.

"I think the question they've got to keep asking the opponents of the agreement is: what alternative is there?"

Earlier, Senator Mitchell told about 650 students who packed an auditorium in the university that the Belfast Agreement was the best result possible given the different interests involved.

"When people vote on this agreement, they'll vote on it as a single entity. It is a balanced agreement and therefore every voter must make a balanced judgment."

He was given a standing ovation at the end. At his suggestion, the audience also applauded the US ambassador, Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith, who was accompanying him.