Letter: IRA arms impasse

Sir: David Trimble says the Good Friday Agreement obliges the IRA to commence decommissioning prior to the setting up of the Northern Ireland Executive. Gerry Adams' position is that Trimble's statement is false. Obviously, one of them is being "disingenuous".

I telephoned the Northern Ireland Office and had a copy of the Good Friday Agreement delivered the following day. Page 30 deals with decommissioning - "to achieve the decommissioning of all paramilitary arms within two years following the endorsement of the agreement and in the context of the implementation of the overall settlement". Even an intellectually challenged person could understand that simple paragraph. Because Trimble is refusing to convene the Executive, he is obstructing the "implementation of the overall settlement".

Should Gerry Adams refuse to allow David Trimble to be part of the Executive?

PATRICK TANSEY

Worcester