Ulster Unionists warned Sinn Féin tonight time was running out for them to address the commitment they made a year ago to put IRA weapons "completely and verifiably beyond use."
Senior party member Mr David McNarry said the deadline for the decommissioning of IRA weapons was June. "That was the agreed extension given to republicans last year. It cannot be unilaterally rewritten," he said.
In what appeared to be a move to reignite the decommissioning issue, he dismissed claims from some sources that the deadline had been extended to next February.
Speaking with what was understood to be the backing of his party leader, Northern Ireland First Minister Mr David Trimble, he said: "This was not part of the agreement last year. The Ulster Unionist Party did not give its consent to any extension."
Gen John De Chastelain, head of the international decommissioning body, had said he needed eight weeks in which to complete the decommissioning process, said Mr McNarry, the party candidate to replace deputy leader Mr John Taylor in the Strangford constituency at the General Election.
"Time is clearly running out."
PA