Opposition reaction: Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny yesterday welcomed the statement from Gen de John Chastelain, saying it removed "one of the key obstacles to political progress in Northern Ireland".
"It also fulfils the clearly expressed democratic wish of the Irish people, North and South, when they endorsed the Good Friday agreement in 1998."
Mr Kenny said he hoped IRA decommissioning would be matched in loyalist paramilitary groups, which he urged to re-establish contact with Gen de Chastelain.
"I also hope that the Provisional movement will soon fulfil its remaining commitments to end all paramilitary and criminal activities, so that a political process based on exclusively peaceful and democratic means can be revitalised."
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said yesterday's "welcome if long overdue" statement on decommissioning had the potential, if coupled with an end to all IRA activity, "to transform the situation and herald a new era of peaceful and democratic politics in Northern Ireland".
He said the failure to decommission by the Belfast Agreement deadline of 2000 "added to a sense of permanent crisis that has bedevilled the process almost since the agreement was signed.
"The delays, as well as the duplicitous approach of the Provisional movement in regard to such issues as the Northern Bank robbery and the Robert McCartney murder, mean that decommissioning - welcome as it is - is not likely to have the same impact as it would have had in May 2000."
However, he urged all Northern political parties to "recognise today's events as the positive development it is, and that it will lead to the reopening of negotiations with a view to the earliest possible re-establishment of the assembly".
Green party leader Trevor Sargent said the announcement was "an important milestone on the road to the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement and one which we warmly welcome.
"However, it must be remembered that this is still only a critical staging post in the overall process," he said, citing loyalist decommissioning, Sinn Féin signing up to the Police Commission and unionists coming into powersharing. "Three important elements still need completion before the Good Friday agreement can be implemented in full. These are loyalist decommissioning; Sinn Féin signing up to the Police Commission; and unionists coming into government."