The Catholic Primate, Archbishop Sean Brady, has strongly implied in a New Year message that an executive involving Sinn Fein ministers should be established ahead of IRA disarmament.
"I would appeal to all sides not to allow the decommissioning issue to become an obstacle to the implementation of the agreement," he said at a Mass to mark World Peace Day in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, yesterday.
He added: "It seems to me that the sooner the Assembly and its executive are up and running the sooner trust will be given a chance to grow."
This remark seems to imply that the formal establishment of an Assembly and an executive with Sinn Fein ministers should not be dependent on some prior IRA disarmament.
While Archbishop Brady was careful to balance his homily with a comment that "some decommissioning now" would have a powerful impact on the political climate, he laid greater emphasis on the need for the "decommissioning of a [paramilitary] mindset", a phrase often used by the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume.
"It is the outcome of the process which is really essential. It is the change of attitude of those who have been prepared to use arms to achieve political ends which is absolutely necessary," the Primate said.
"The impact of some decommissioning now would be powerful," he added.
The UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, said in his New Year statement that 1999 must be the year in which paramilitaries carried out their obligations under the Belfast Agreement and delivered real peace.
"Whatever happens, 1998 was the year we crossed the watershed. The mountains are behind us. There are still hills in front, but I believe we can make our way through them."
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, in his message, said that with the political will and all parties honouring their commitments to the Belfast Agreement, progress would be made this year.
