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Northern Ireland's peace process in doldrum

BELFAST: Northern Ireland's hard-won peace agreement looked set for A stormy week as the province's fledgling government faced suspension after a row over guerrilla disarmament, despite the IRA saying it was committed to giving up its weapons.

Britain's minister for the province, Peter Mandelson, has said the Irish Republican Army has seven days to make clear that it would disarm before he freezes the institutions on Friday, sparking fears over the future of the coalition government launched in a flurry of optimism last December.

In the second statement in a week, the IRA repeated its commitment to the flagging peace process but said it would not be bullied into disarming by Britain or the pro-British Ulster Unionists.

While the statement fell short of suggesting it would deliver actual disarmament by next week, it acknowledged for the first time the arms issue had to be "dealt with in an acceptable way" and "was an essential part of a genuine peace process".

"The IRA believes that this crisis can be averted and the issue of arms can be resolved. This will not be on British or Unionist terms nor will it be advanced by British legislative threats," it stated.

"The IRA have never entered into any agreement, undertaking or understanding at any time with anyone on any aspect of decommissioning. We have not broken our commitment or betrayed anyone".

The statement came as Unionist leader David Trimble had urgent talks with Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams on Saturday to discuss disarmament.

But Trimble, head of Northern Ireland's new coalition cabinet, has insisted that deeds, not words, are required now.

"If they really want to resolve the arms issue, then they have a limited period in which to do so before other things come in to play," Trimble told Reuters.

No-one is keen to switch off the light on the peace process and take the blame for its collapse. Frantic behind-the-scenes talks were continuing in Belfast, London and Dublin to defuse the arms stalemate.

But the stakes were increased with Trimble's threat to resign as First Minister on February 12th -- the eve of a crucial Ulster Unionist Council meeting -- if Britain does not suspend the home rule government, as planned.

The government brought Unionists and Sinn Fein, the political ally of the IRA, together in "partnership" for the first time in a bid to draw a line under a conflict which has claimed more than 3,600 lives in the past 30 years.

A spokesman for Adams said the republican leader intended to have further talks with Trimble, the IRA and other key players involved "right up until they were either successful or the institutions were suspended".

Sinn Fein has said it doubted the guerrillas would begin to disarm within the coming week and accused Mandelson of bad faith.

The party said it may consider a legal challenge to Britain's suspension of the home-rule administration but would not go down this route until the diplomacy road had reached a logjam.

"There is still all to play for. Anything is possible in the next week," said one political source.-Reuters