The peace process was neither stalled nor stopped but was continuing to make progress in key areas despite the difficult issue of decommissioning, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said yesterday.
Speaking in Cork, where he spent more than an hour briefing Senator George Mitchell on the latest developments, Mr Ahern, like Senator Mitchell and the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, both of whom visited Cork over the weekend, said he believed the process would go forward and that it would succeed.
Reacting to suggestions by the former Labour Party leader, Mr Dick Spring, that the process, once considered "unstoppable", had in fact stopped, Mr Ahern said he was thankful for Mr Spring's continuing support for the Belfast Agreement, but added that it was "totally wrong" to claim the peace process had reached an impasse. Important work was still going ahead in a number of areas. He went on: "We are working to resolve issues concerning the composition of the executive; North/South implementation bodies; and areas where co-operation between both sides of the island can be progressed.
"Of course, the issue of decommissioning still remains and it has to be dealt with within the context of the agreement. The agreement, the process, has not stopped. There has been movement on the release of prisoners, on policing, etc. and in many other areas."
On Mr Spring's proposals that the British and Irish leaders should meet the political leaders in Northern Ireland to move the process forward, Mr Ahern said it was important for people to realise that this was going on in any event. "This week Mr Blair met with all the political leaders in Northern Ireland, and I did the same two weeks ago. We are regularly in touch with each other and with the leaders on all the issues. Naturally, if a joint meeting with the parties was thought to be useful or necessary, it would be considered." Although Senator Mitchell was no longer directly involved in the peace process, he had continued to keep himself informed on the developing events, and for that reason their meeting in Cork had been very useful.
Senator Mitchell, during several news conferences over the weekend, insisted no one should be surprised that decommissioning was still an issue of some controversy. It had been so before the parties sat down to negotiate and sign the agreement, and would continue to be so. But it was part of the agreement and the overwhelming majority of people from both traditions had given that agreement their support. It should be remembered, he said, that on the difficult journey leading up to the agreement numerous obstacles had been overcome.
"I am confident that this one will be, too. Arriving at a process for peace is a difficult task. Securing the implementation of it, as we have seen around the world, can be just as difficult. "I base my confidence on the knowledge of the ability of all the leaders to resolve hard issues. I have no insider's knowledge to support that confidence, but the process has come a long way and I believe it can be completed."
Senator Mitchell said one of the many gestures that could be made to promote a lasting peace would be for the paramilitary organisations to indicate where the bodies of their victims were buried. He had been asked by the two governments to return and oversee the implementation of the agreement but had declined. He was not anxious to render judgements through the media "except to say that I believe the chances of success are good".
