Madam, - The majority of politicians and commentators seem to believe that when the IRA said that Gerry Adams's speech of October 21st accurately reflected their position they were referring to the totality of his speech. Well, if that's a correct interpretation of the IRA's position then indeed republicans may be moving in the right direction.
However, it should be noted that only in one part of his speech did Mr Adams directly quote the IRA. That quote was to the effect that IRA's "strategies and actions will be consistent with" the full and irreversible implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
Well, nothing new there, but nonetheless the IRA can take their hands off their Armalites and place them on their hearts and say that Mr Adams "accurately reflects our position" in his speech. However, they may well be smiling as they see the usual politicians and commentators rush to tell us yet again that there has been another seismic shift by republicans.
Is it not worrying that when Republicans wish us to understand their requirements they have no difficulty in using language that a child could understand? For instance on the issue of establishing an International Commission to monitor paramilitary activity Mr Adams said in his speech that it was unacceptable and a breach of the Good Friday Agreement. This is admirably clear.
However, when other parties to the Agreement ask republicans to clarify their position on matters of importance to them one is nearly always forced into semantic analysis to see what the republicans' response might actually mean. This is not accidental - and it invariably has the desired effect of making the other party look pedantic and fault-finding.
It would have been helpful if Mr or Ms P. O'Neill's last statement of October 29th had said in simple language that the interpretation put on his/her response to Mr Adams's speech by so many politicians and commentators was correct. Had that happened there would be some grounds for believing that the IRA might finally be turning away from the use of violence.
It is still not too late for journalists to ask Mr Adams the simple question: "Does the IRA fully endorse all of your statement of October 21st?"
A simple answer would be "Yes", but I have the feeling that, in the event of a response, we will be needing to consult our Oxford English Dictionary yet again. - Yours, etc.,
ANTHONY MORIARTY, Shanid Road, Kenilworth Park, Dublin 6W.