The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) was set up in 1995 by the Irish and British governments to advise on the issue of decommissioning of arms belonging to paramilitary organisations that had called ceasefires the previous year.
The body, then headed by former US senator George Mitchell, and including Gen John de Chastelain and Finnish politician Harri Holkeri, produced what was to become known as the Mitchell report. It recommended the establishment of an independent international commission to oversee the decommissioning process.
Both governments introduced legislation enabling the establishment of such a body, and this was put into effect in August 1997 through a joint communique, with Gen de Chastelain appointed to chair the body.
The body was established with a series of aims; to consult with peace process participants and draw up its proposals for decommissioning, oversee that process, and make reports to the governments.
The commission was designed as a three person body, with representatives drawn from Canada, the United States and Finland, backed up by a secretariat in Dublin and Belfast, all of which has been funded by the British and Irish governments.
In late 1997 and early 1998 the commission came up with proposals as to how decommissioning might be achieved, essentially either through information leading to the discovery of arms, or through the destruction of arms by the paramilitary bodies themselves. Both governments then introduced regulations to implement the decommissioning proposals.
However, the two-year deadline proved far too optimistic, with the governments publishing an additional decommissioning scheme in 2001 to facilitate the body's continued work.
Gen de Chastelain is former head of the Canadian armed forces. Born in 1937 in Bucharest to a Scottish father and an American mother he was educated in England and Scotland and moved to Canada at the age of 18. He had a long career in the military and became chief of staff of the Canadian armed forces in 1989.
His fellow members are Andrew Sens from the US and Brigadier-General Tauno Nieminen from Finland.
Sens is a career diplomat who has served in various postings around the world. Brig-Gen Nieminen has extensive peacekeeping and peace monitoring experience.
Liam Reid