The NIO have refuted a report in the Sunday Independent that the “Irish and British governments are expected to publish an inventory of the weapons decommissioned by the IRA, to encourage the DUP into talks with Sinn Fein”. Ian Paisley Junior:
“The publication of an inventory that cannot be independently verified by a witness whom we had chosen, that is without photographic verification and comes after the decommissioning body confirmed to us that the inventory they had previously worked from, up until July 2005, had been changed and revised downwards in terms of numbers of weapons, will all be seen as significant credibility gaps.”
“The Government knows that the DUP is genuine in its desire to see progress but it must be on a firm foundation. This latest suggestion appears more like the shifting sands of uncertainty and expediency. Unionists deserve to have their confidence built, but that will not be achieved by short-term measures that are all about saving face rather than saving lives.”
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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