BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- The leader of the Irish Republican Army's political wing reacted cautiously Thursday to an Anglo-Irish peace initiative, saying the party would give the offer 'full consideration' but giving no hint if the IRA would renounce violence.
The Anglo-Irish joint declaration signed Wednesday would bring Sinn Fein, the IRA's political wing, into negotiations on the future of Northern Ireland in exchange for a commitment by the IRA to renounce violence. Preliminary negotiations with Britain could begin three months after violence ends.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams warned that the process of building a peace strategy would be 'difficult,' and he said the Anglo-Irish joint declaration would have to be considered in depth and in consultation with the Irish government.
'No matter about the hype of any particular position, there are no quick fixes in this situation,' he added. 'The challenge facing all political leaders is to establish the basis for a lasting peace which brings an end to all conflict in our country.'
'Sinn Fein is totally committed to this and it remains a personal and political priority for me,' he added. 'It is in this context that we are considering yesterday's (Wednesday's) declaration.'
Adams said Sinn Fein would be closely examining the seven-page joint declaration signed by British Prime Minister John Major and Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds.
'Proper and full consideration requires, of necessity, that these deliberations will take some time and will require clarification from Dublin about aspects of the declaration,' Adams said.
'Mr. Reynolds has been fully informed on the Sinn Fein position,' he added. 'Apart from this, he knows what is required for a durable peace strategy and everyone knows that the building of a process which will remove the cause of the conflict in our country will be a difficult one.'
Adams gave no indication whether the IRA had ordered a cease-fire while deliberating the joint declaration, but the group's active service units have been silent since the declaration was published.
Security forces have been ordered to remain on high alert. Vehicle checkpoints have been stepped up in Belfast and provincial towns to prevent the movement of bombs and weapons. The general public reaction to the declaration has been tense and mixed, but a new mood of hope is rising.NEWLN: more
Protestant loyalist paramilitary groups, including the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Freedom Fighters, are also silent. It is understood they met Thursday under the auspices of the Combined Ulster Loyalist Military Command at a secret address in Belfast.
Sources close to the groups said they did not expect any reaction until Friday, but they have indicated that their initial mood was anger.
'We have been down this road before and the paramilitaries have been manipulated by the politicians,' one source said. 'They have paid a heavy price at the behest of the politicians. This time they are determined not to be manipulated or pushed into making rash decisions. They will be more calculated.'
In London, officials in the government went on the offensive urging the IRA, and the loyalist paramilitaries as well, to end violence and begin to negotiate peacefully.
Leading the peace-seeking chorus was Britain's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Sir Patrick Mayhew, who said there needed to be 'clear proof' and 'real evidence' that those using weapons for political means were seriously interested in seeking a settlement.
'We are not in the business of letting this run into the sand,' Mayhew told the British Broadcasting Corp.
'Either they do it for real and make it clear pretty quick or else they are not going to be taken seriously,' he said.
James Molyneaux, leader of the loyalist Ulster Unionist Party, also indicated it was time for the Ulster militants to adopt a change in tactics.
'Anyone even remotely connected with terrorism will say 'Hold on is it really worth it any longer',' Molyneaux told the BBC.
The Rev. Ian Paisley, a loyalist hardliner and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, continued Thursday to voice his outrage at the peace-seeking declaration.
'This is an effort to buy the IRA at the expense of the people of Northern Ireland,' Paisley said. 'I don't believe that the decisions for the future of my children should be decided by those who have commited these dastardly crimes.'
The leader of the Irish Republican Army's political wing reacted cautiously Thursday to an Anglo-Irish peace initiative, saying the party would give the offer 'full consideration' but giving no hint if the IRA would renounce violence.
The Anglo-Irish joint declaration signed Wednesday would bring Sinn Fein, the IRA's political wing, into negotiations on the future of Northern Ireland in exchange for a commitment by the IRA to renounce violence.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams warned that the process of building a peace strategy would be 'difficult,' and he said the Anglo-Irish joint declaration would have to be considered in depth and in consultation with the Irish government.
'No matter about the hype of any particular position, there are no quick fixes in this situation,' he added. 'The challenge facing all political leaders is to establish the basis for a lasting peace which brings an end to all conflict in our country.'
'Sinn Fein is totally committed to this and it remains a personal and political priority for me,' he added. 'It is in this context that we are considering yesterday's (Wednesday's) declaration.'
