The decision by the British Government to postpone the scheduled Northern Ireland elections until the autumn, because of a lack of clarity about the IRA's intentions, is an unfortunate development. Deferring an election at any time is a high-risk strategy.
But when that action has been deeply influenced by the immediate needs of one political party, the good faith of the governments and the mandate of the Northern Ireland parties can be called into question. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has already publicly disagreed with the judgment made by the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair. However, both leaders insist they are united in their determination to move forward and to implement the terms of the Belfast Agreement.
The difference between the two Governments is largely one of tactics as they respond to contrasting pressures. Mr Blair was reacting to the needs of Mr David Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party, as well as to the political reality that it made little sense to elect people to an Assembly and an Executive that would not work. For his part, and urged on by the SDLP and Sinn Féin, Mr Ahern argued that elections should not be deferred for a second time. Postponement, he said, would cause more problems than it would solve.
The two prime ministers were insistent on one fundamental point: fault for the breakdown lay with the IRA. Using almost identical language at their press briefings, they stated that if the IRA had provided a clear and unambiguous statement three weeks ago, it would have "solved everything" and the elections could have gone ahead. The environment had deteriorated as the Governments sought various clarifications through Sinn Féin and, ultimately, the answers given had failed to convince unionists that paramilitarism was definitively at an end.
On that point, the demand on republicans for clarity and an end to ambiguity remains. Mr Ahern and Mr Blair are determined it will be addressed.
As an indication of their own good faith, they published details of the Joint Declaration, drawn up following negotiations with the pro-Agreement parties. And they challenged the IRA to release its original statement so that the public could judge how far it had fallen short of what was required.
Mr Blair will visit Dublin next Tuesday to identify those aspects of the Joint Declaration that can be implemented in advance of elections, particularly in such areas as policing and human rights. Such steps are important if trust and confidence are to be created during the marching season. Republicans have made important and ground-breaking commitments in recent weeks to put all arms beyond use, to acknowledge the war was over, and not to engage in activities that would undermine the peace process or the Belfast Agreement. But they have not ruled out future involvement in specified paramilitary activities. As Mr Ahern observed, unionists must be satisfied on this point if the communities are to make progress together.