The North's Security Minister, Ms Jane Kennedy, has insisted the UDA's handover of 14 pipe bombs and four fireworks is not an act of decommissioning.
Unionist politicians had welcomed the loyalist paramilitary move which some hailed as a significant act of decommissioning. The devices were left at playing fields in the Crumlin Road area of north Belfast on Wednesday night.
The UDA said it wanted to put the weapons beyond use in an attempt to restore normality to the Shankill following its recent internal feud.
Ms Kennedy said: "This act has very much to be welcomed. But it is not an act of decommissioning. It has not been done through the auspices of the decommissioning commission. It has been a matter handled entirely by the police."
She urged both loyalist and republican paramilitaries to re-engage with the arms commission.
However, a local Ulster Unionist councillor, Mr Chris McGimpsey, said it had been an important act.
"We have a paramilitary organisation which has been involved in some fairly horrific crimes over the last number of years, often using pipe bombs.
"They have now said they are going to clean up their act and they have handed a lot of pipe bombs in.
"We simply should be pleased about that, and let's try and see if other paramilitary groups can be encouraged to decommission some of their weapons, or indeed if the UDA can be encouraged to do some further acts of decommissioning."
Local SDLP Assembly member Mr Alban Maginness said the UDA had to make more than a token gesture. "I hope this isn't another stunt by the UDA to rehabilitate themselves after some very bad publicity in recent months."
Party colleague Mr John Dallat said the UDA should hand over its entire arsenal. "This would bring some reassurance to the countless Catholic families who have been the victims of a sustained campaign over several years. This latest welcome move should not be a cosmetic exercise to improve the UDA's shattered image in the Shankill, but the beginning of the end of all paramilitary violence from every terror group."
Sinn Féin Assembly member Mr John Kelly dismissed the move as a public relations exercise.