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Arms talks: IRA pullout rocks N Irish peace

BELFAST: The British and Irish prime ministers, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, are to meet again to salvage the Northern Ireland peace process, rocked by the IRA's withdrawal from disarmament talks.

British officials drew some comfort from the fact that the Irish Republican Army made no suggestion it was about to abandon a long-running ceasefire but the guerrilla group's decision plunged the already troubled peace process deeper into crisis.

The IRA made clear in its statement on Tuesday that it was angry about Britain's suspension last Friday of Northern Ireland's fledgling power-sharing government of majority Protestants and minority Roman Catholics.

"Both the British government and the leadership of the (Protestant) Ulster Unionist Party...obviously have no desire to deal with the issue of arms except on their own terms," the IRA said.

"Those who seek a military victory in this way need to understand that this cannot and will not happen."

Britain insisted it had no choice because the IRA had failed to give a clear commitment to disarm. The guerrilla group signalled it believed it had made a reasonable proposal to consider putting arms "beyond use".

"We have always made it clear that there is too much at stake to stop now. We are working with the Irish government and all parties to achieve a lasting peace," a Blair aide said.

The United States, which has often played a behind-the scenes role in the peace process, called on all sides to remain committed to the peace process.

"We are urging all the parties...to remain engaged and to carry through on their responsibilities," said U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin.

The past week has produced tension between the two governments, with Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson admitting to exchanges of harsh words.

But Britain and the Irish Republic are co-sponsors of Northern Ireland's landmark 1998 Good Friday peace agreement and they know that they have to lead the way if the latest outbreak of acrimony and mistrust in the province is to be halted.

The IRA and other mainstream guerrilla groups may be observing ceasefires but politicians from the Protestant majority say there can never be lasting peace until all weapons are taken out of circulation.

Under the Good Friday accord, all guns should be scrapped by the end of May.

Officials saw as one sign of hope for the peace process -- hammered out after three decades of sectarian violence in which 3,600 people were killed -- the fact that there was no suggestion the IRA planned to end its ceasefire.

"We have no intelligence to indicate that the IRA intend to re-engage in acts of violence," Sir Ronnie Flanagan, head of the province's police force, told BBC television.

Gerry Adams, leader of the IRA's political ally Sinn Fein, sounded gloomy about ending the disarmament impasse.

David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party -- Northern Ireland's main Protestant political group, blamed Sinn Fein and the IRA for the crisis.

"Over the last 11 weeks we have seen the republican movement squander the best opportunity that they have had to date to resolve this (disarmament) issue," Trimble told reporters.

British officials said Blair and Ahern were keen to cool political temperatures so that John de Chastelain, the retired Canadian general heading the province's disarmament commission, could find a way forward.-Reuters