Arms decommissioning by Northern Ireland's paramilitaries would be met with a generous response from the British Government and around the world, Northern Secretary Dr John Reid said today.
Dr Reid urged all sides to show courage and move politics in the province into a new era.
"Common ground" on arms issue had been developed in recent days with positive public statements from Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble and Sinn Féin's Mr Martin McGuinness, Dr Reid told the Society of Editors' conference in Belfast.
"I do not underestimate the difficulties for paramilitary groups in resolving the issue of arms. Nor do I underestimate the significance of the steps they have already taken. They are being asked to enter a new historical dynamic," Dr Reid said.
"So I want to say the paramilitaries: If you are able to do what the people of Northern Ireland want so desperately - to put arms beyond use and to take politics on to a new plane - then I believe you will not find the response from this government, from the Irish Government, the American administration and the whole international community to be grudging or ungenerous".
Dr Reid warned the paramilitaries if they did not "make the final transition to democratic means", there would be consternation internationally and on both sides of the Irish border.
Republicans have until Thursday midnight to decommission and prevent the collapse of the North’s Assembly, power-sharing government and other institutions.
Sinn Féin's Mr Gerry Adams confirmed he had been in talks with the IRA. He also told RTÉ Radio: "If the IRA is persuaded to make some move on this issue, it will because it wants to rescue the process. The decision has to be theirs".
Sinn Féin national chairman Mr Mitchel McLaughlin called for more time to resolve the outstanding difficulties and urged Mr Trimble to withdraw his threat to withdraw from the political process.
"These deadlines don't work and I think that David Trimble should reconsider. He should withdraw those resignations and use the space to work politically to solve these matters," he said.
PA