Peace making and peace keeping is a collective effort.

The IRA leadership's ability to speedily and substantially progress the decision was completely undermined by the setting of further preconditions and the outright rejection of the IICD statement by the Ulster Unionist Party leadership.

Subsequent actions by the British government including a continued failure to fulfil its commitments, remove the conditions necessary for progress.

On 14 August we withdrew our proposal.

However, as an earnest (sic) of our willingness to resolve the issue of arms, the IRA leadership wish to confirm that our representative will intensify the engagement with the IICD.

This dialogue is within the context of our commitment to deal satisfactorily with the question of arms.

'Meaningful contributions'

It is with a view to accelerating progress towards the comprehensive resolution of this issue.

Progress will be directly influenced by the attitude of other parties to the peace process, including and especially, the British government.

The IRA's commitment is without question. However, as we have said before, peace making and peace keeping is a collective effort.

It is our considered view that the Irish peace process can succeed.

The continued failure or refusal to sustain the political process and to deliver real and meaningful change has a direct bearing on how this will be accomplished.

The IRA has contributed consistently and in a meaningful way to the creation of a climate which would facilitate the search for a durable settlement.

Colombia arrests

We will continue to do so, including through our engagement with the IICD, particularly at this difficult time, and in the period immediately ahead.

We also wish to state our attitude to the arrests of three Irishmen in Colombia.

There has been a lot of ill-founded and mischievous speculation about these arrests and some ill-considered and aggressive comment directed at our organisation.

We wish to make it clear that the Army Council sent no one to Colombia to train or to engage in any military cooperation with any group.

The IRA has not interfered in the internal affairs of Colombia and will not so do.

The IRA is not a threat to the peace process in Ireland or in Colombia. The three men have asserted their support for the process and we accept that.

P O'Neill