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U.S. Praises IRA's "Potentially Historic" Disarmament Pledge

28 July 2005

Calls on Irish group to follow up pledge with action

The United States has called the pledge of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to end its armed campaign and resume disarmament an "important and potentially historic" move toward peace in the region.

The IRA pledge, released July 28, states that “All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means.”

Speaking the same day, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the IRA's statement must be followed by actions that will demonstrate its commitment to the rule of law and to giving up all paramilitary and criminal activities.

"We understand that many, especially victims and their families, will be skeptical," McClellan said. "They will want to be certain that this terrorism and criminality are indeed things of the past."

McClellan said the United States “remains steadfast in its support for the peace process” and will continue to work closely with the British and Irish governments.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair also commended the IRA’s statement, welcoming “the recognition that the only route to political change lies in exclusively peaceful and democratic means.  This is a step of unparalleled magnitude in the recent history of Northern Ireland.”

Formed in 1969 as the clandestine, armed wing of the political movement Sinn Fein, the IRA is devoted both to removing British forces from Northern Ireland and to the integration of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is a part of the United Kingdom. This group has historically resorted to violence to further its message and is responsible for several terrorist incidents and bombing attacks in the United Kingdom since the 1970s.

Following is McClellan’s statement:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
July 28, 2005

Statement by the Press Secretary

U.S. RESPONSE TO IRA STATEMENT

We welcome today's IRA statement pledging "an end to the armed campaign."  This is an important and potentially historic statement.

Consistent with the IRA's commitment to "the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means" and to "not engage in any other activities whatsoever," we understand that the IRA and its members will no longer have any contact with any foreign paramilitary and terrorist organizations.

This IRA statement must now be followed by actions demonstrating the republican movement's unequivocal commitment to the rule of law and to the renunciation of all paramilitary and criminal activities.  We understand that many, especially victims and their families, will be skeptical.  They will want to be certain that this terrorism and criminality are indeed things of the past.  The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and the Independent Monitoring Commission will play an important role in assisting the governments to verify that the commitments outlined in today's statement are fully implemented and sustained on the ground.

President Bush salutes Prime Minister Blair and the Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, for their leadership on this issue.  The United States remains steadfast in its support for the peace process and continues to work closely with the British and Irish Governments to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation for the people of Northern Ireland under the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)