The first act of voluntary disarmament by a paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland received a broad welcome from politicians, North and South, yesterday as the Loyalist Volunteer Force handed over some weapons to the International Decommissioning body.
The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, said the handover was a very significant development. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, welcomed the LVF initiative.
Chairman of the decommissioning body Gen John de Chastelain said the amount of arms handed over was modest but credible.
The LVF had offered to provide more weapons if given more time, he stressed.
The commission declined to extend the time-limit, citing concern for safety and security due to the threat of violence in Portadown, Co Armagh, this weekend.
Nine guns, almost 400 rounds of ammunition, five detonators and two pipe bombs were driven under police escort from Portadown yesterday morning and destroyed in the presence of the media at a government building in east Belfast.
Commission member Ambassador Donald Johnston, who led yesterday's decommissioning team, said the residue was then taken to an undisclosed commercial installation for disposal.
The immunity certificate issued to the LVF, allowing the group transport weapons without fear of arrest, charge or conviction, ended at 9 a.m. yesterday.
The certificate has not been renewed, although the commission said this did not rule out further LVF decommissioning.
Gen de Chastelain said the commission was receiving great co-operation from those acting as go-betweens with the other paramilitary groupings.
"There have been a number of very useful, very constructive, very realistic discussions that we have had with a number of the parties, particularly with Sinn Fein, with the Progressive Unionist Party, the Ulster Democratic Party and with individuals like Pastor McClinton who represents the LVF," said Gen de Chastelain.