Northern Ireland politicians should seize the opportunity to resolve their differences during next week's all party talks in Scotland, the US government urged today.
President George Bush's special adviser on Northern Ireland, Ambassador Mitchell Reiss, described today's report on IRA and other paramilitary activity as very encouraging.
He also expressed hope that republicans would find a way to overcome their difficulties over policing in Northern Ireland.
"The United States welcomes today's very encouraging report by the Independent Monitoring Commission," Mr Reiss said.
"We are particularly heartened by the Commission's conclusions that the IRA 'is now firmly set on a political strategy, eschewing terrorism and other forms of crime'.
"This report, combined with previous Commission findings, confirms that the IRA has undertaken to do what it said it would.
"We also note the Commission's finding that the Sinn Fein 'leadership has accepted the need for engagement in policing and wishes to achieve it'.
We are hopeful this can be accomplished as soon as possible."
"We urge Northern Ireland's political leaders to seize this important opportunity to reach a lasting political settlement," President Bush's adviser said.
"Despite the positive elements of the report, we remain concerned that paramilitary and criminal activity among dissident republicans and some loyalist elements continues to be a security threat.
"Such activity has no place in a democratic society."