The IRA's proposals to start decommissioning its weapons have been put in jeopardy by the suspension of devolved government in Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin's chief negotiator Mr Martin McGuinness warned today.
The Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid restored the Northern Assembly from the stroke of midnight following a temporary 24-hour suspension.
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Mr Martin McGuinness
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Dr Reid argued the technical device - which allows the parties to carry on talking for another six weeks - had been necessary to "buy time" to save the peace process.
However the move infuriated nationalists and republicans who accused the British government of bowing to a "Unionist veto" forced by the resignation of Mr David Trimble as First Minister.
Mr McGuinness said it could now have implications for the IRA's plan, accepted by General John de Chastelain's international de-commissioning body, to put its weapons permanently and verifiably beyond use.
"The Unionist rejection of General de Chastelain's determination and the suspension of the institutions may have caused a serious situation in that regard," he told BBC.
"I think that it may have jeopardised the very important development of earlier this week. Now we see a situation where there are questions being raised as to whether or not that initiative may indeed be jeopardised.
"The people who rejected the determination of the General was the Ulster Unionist Party and, effectively in rejecting the authority of General de Chastelain and the international commission, have thrown us all into a very grave crisis.
"General de Chastelain reported very great progress. Our duty now is to ensure that whatever agreements were made between, for instance, the IRA representative and General de Chastelain can be pursued with vigour.
"Our difficulty is that all of that work has now been very seriously undermined by the refusal of the Ulster Unionist Party to accept the determination of the General."
PA