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21 September 2001
Statement By The Secretary Of State, Dr John Reid
I have this afternoon signed an order suspending devolved government in Northern Ireland from midnight tonight.
When I restored the institutions on 11 August my hope was that early progress would be possible to secure the full implementation of all the outstanding issues under the Good Friday Agreement.
I did not at that point believe that it would be right to contemplate a further short suspension, now if those issues remained unresolved. In the past 6 weeks, however, circumstances have changed.
First, in breaking the deadlock on policing we have demonstrated that, with time and political will, it is possible to resolve seemingly intractable problems. The publication of the implementation plan and the subsequent decision of the SDLP, UUP and DUP to nominate to the Policing Board have cleared the way to create a police service which for the first time ever in Northern Ireland will command cross-community support. This is a major step forward in implementing the Agreement.
Secondly, the IRA has in the last few days announced that it is intensifying its engagement with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, with a view to accelerating progress in resolving the issue of arms.
Thirdly, the tragic events in the United States have inevitably overshadowed everything over the past two weeks. They have brought into starker focus than ever before the choice that has to be made between democracy and terror – a choice which leaves no room for ambiguity. They have reminded us unbearably of the consequences of wrong choices.
I believe that they have also underlined the importance of making a decisive start now to resolving the issue of paramilitary weapons once and for all.
In view of past discouragement's, including some over recent weeks, I can understand all too well why many will remain sceptical that this can be achieved. My message to the sceptics and to the paramilitaries themselves, is that the door is open, there is now an opportunity for those with illegally held arms to take the step which will enable the issue to be resolved once and for all.
I do not know whether they will take it. My fervent hope is that they can and will. I must emphasise that I would not be taking this step if I did not believe that there was a chance of success. It is not one that I believe I could credibly repeat and I do not intend to do so.
I am now going to Brussels where I shall be meeting the Irish Foreign Minister, Brian Cowen, to consider the next steps. In the light of that and other consultations I hope to be able to complete the review which is required under the Northern Ireland Act 2000 so that the operation of the devolved institutions can be restored very quickly.
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