UUP Council: Visible decommissioning, a clear demonstration that the IRA's war is over, and sanctions against Sinn Féin should the IRA breach its commitments are essential parts of any agreement to restore devolution, according to Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble.
In a speech to the ruling Ulster Unionist Council on Saturday and at a press conference on the margins of the meeting, Mr Trimble set out in the clearest detail yet what he requires to lead his party back into the Executive and Assembly with Sinn Féin.
He said the word disbandment may be "too neuralgic" for republicans. "But they really do have to go away, you know.
"We need open clear statements that the war is over for good, and is not going to be restarted.
"Decommissioning fully, not partially, decommissioning openly, not secretly, would clearly come within any definition of acts of completion."
But the IRA must go further, insisted Mr Trimble, who was unanimously re-elected leader at the Ulster Unionist Council meeting. "The commitment to exclusively peaceful means must be proved by an absence of violence, and by an end to all paramilitary activity. This is a huge issue. It must start, with no shootings, no bombings, no beatings, no riots, an end to targeting, intelligence gathering and recruiting. It must end by replacing the private armies with peaceful, democratic, social and community structures.
"This applies to loyalists too. We welcome the recent moves by loyalists. The disposal of some pipe bombs, the renewed ceasefire, may help to restore confidence. But they must be followed through by the total transformation of the organisations in question. We are ready to help where we can. But we must be candid about the destination." Decommissioning was a crucial part of building unionist confidence. He indicated that one proposal, videoed decommissioning, would not satisfy unionists but that if the act was also seen by "witnesses" whom unionists could trust, in addition to Gen John de Chastelain's decommissioning body, this might convince unionists major acts of IRA disarmament had taken place.
Mr Trimble said there must be an effective means, such as a ceasefire monitor, of verifying the IRA was inactive and this must be backed up by the threat of exclusion of Sinn Féin ministers from the Executive. He did not spell out how such sanctions - which Sinn Féin is strenuously opposing - might be executed but spoke of those in breach of the pledge to pursue politics absolutely peacefully facing "yellow or red cards".
"Obviously the nuclear option \ cannot be used for each and every possible infraction. Republicans should reconsider their opposition to such oversight. They do need this too. It will protect them and the institutions from the political fall-out from violence from dissidents of whatever hue." He indicated that he was not expecting all his demands to be met immediately. Ulster Unionists wanted it "demonstrably established that a real and genuine transition is proceeding to a conclusion".
Mr Trimble said he would oppose any amnesty for IRA fugitives, the so-called "on the runs". He added, however, that the British government in the House of Commons had the numbers to overcome such opposition, but that the House of Lords might reject an amnesty.
On the republican demand for British army demilitarisation, Mr Trimble said it would be normalisation, not demilitarisation. "Moving to a normal peace time establishment and returning to training and normal garrison activity is reasonable. This can only be in response to the removal of the threat. Instead of complaining about the army presence, republicans should focus on helping to remove the threat that produced the presence," he said.
