Peace process held up by 'inadequate' IRA declaration

Tony Blair and the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, have immersed themselves in an emergency effort to rescue their Northern Ireland peace process initiative after it was stopped in its tracks last night.

The crisis arose when the text of a proposed IRA statement was judged by both Prime Ministers to fall well short of the "acts of completion" which they have been asking republicans to produce.

Mr Blair admitted that there were "outstanding issues", adding: "We have got to make sure that people understand the time is urgent and I hope even at this late stage any of the difficulties can be ironed out and dealt with."

While London and Dublin had both said the initiative was "not a done deal", both were apparently taken aback by the lack of clarity and commitment of the republican language.

The two governments were so disappointed with the statement that they did not send it to the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble. It had been hoped that the IRA declaration would be impressive enough for Mr Trimble to take it to his party and persuade doubters in the ranks to go back into government with Sinn Fein.

Mr Trimble said the two governments realised the statement was "wholly inadequate". Fragments of it had been read to him, he said, "and from what I've heard it's not even in the ballpark".

The Ulster Unionist leader said the process could be put back on track but only if there was "massive movement from the republican movements in the next day or two".

The general sense is that a renewed attempt to reach agreement will be launched, with an informal deadline being set as the middle of next week. London and Dublin can be expected to make a determined effort to salvage the negotiations, which have been going on for months, and which have established a significant amount of common ground.

The vital issue will be whether the IRA can be budged from its present position. The governments will wish to explore whether its language represents its final position or whether the organisation can deliver the greater clarity required.

The Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams, signalled yesterday that his party wants further movement from the governments on issues such as a commitment from Unionists not to bring down a restored Belfast Assembly, as well as policing and justice powers. Mr Adams said: "Sinn Fein calls upon the two governments to publish the joint declaration and their other public commitments now."

London and Dublin had hoped to launch a blueprint yesterday setting out their positions on a range of such issues, many of which would have been regarded as concessions to Sinn Fein.

But plans by Mr Blair and Mr Ahern to fly to Northern Ireland to unveil the document were dropped in the wake of the unsatisfactory IRA statement, which was reportedly revealed to Mr Blair's chief-of-staff, Jonathan Powell, in Belfast on Wednesday.

The hardline Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside claimed the two governments should now expel Sinn Fein from the political process because of the IRA's refusal to abandon all military activity, adding: "The IRA has again not delivered, even though they were offered many concessions."

The Rev Ian Paisley, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, accused the Prime Minister of capitulating to the IRA by agreeing to further talks. Describing him as "a mere lackey, a serf", Mr Paisley declared: "Mr Blair is a giant against terrorism outside the United Kingdom but he is a tiny dwarf when it comes to terrorism within the United Kingdom."