Northern Secretary Peter Hain has stated that it is crucial that IRA decommissioning, understood to be imminent, is of a "momentous" and "credible" nature to propel the political process forward in the North.
The British and Irish governments believe that a series of keynote events in the coming days involving Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, including an official meeting with the Taoiseach in Dublin tomorrow, points towards republicans "preparing the ground" for impending IRA disarmament.
Mr Adams, who is addressing a Sinn Féin conference in the republican heartland of south Armagh today, reiterated yesterday that the IRA would deliver on its commitments.
There is a general expectation in Dublin, London, Belfast and Washington that IRA disarmament is imminent, although sources differ on whether it will take place next week or by mid-October at the latest. One well-placed source said Dublin was leaning towards decommissioning happening next week, while London believed it might take a week or two longer. "What does seem clear is that republicans are now preparing the ground for decommissioning," added the source.
Mr Adams, as well as speaking in south Armagh this evening, meets Mr Ahern, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell in Dublin tomorrow, while in Dublin on Saturday he will speak at a Sinn Féin rally for Irish unity.
Tomorrow's meeting with Mr Ahern and senior Ministers is the first official meeting with the Government since the alleged IRA Northern Bank robbery in December and appears to denote that the British and Irish governments believe the IRA is living up to its commitments in its July 28th statement.
Mr Hain, who met Mr Dermot Ahern at Stormont Castle yesterday, indicated as much.
He said that the "signs were good" that the IRA was meeting its pledge in the statement to end all activity. "The reports and information I have seem to suggest it is being delivered upon on the ground," he said.
However, Mr Hain said what was critical in order to create fresh political momentum was that the entire community would believe that the IRA also lived up to its commitment to fully disarm.
"What is important is that they move, not just sooner rather than later, but that they move with credibility so that everybody, including even the most sceptical and suspicious, can be convinced that the promises to dump arms on July 28th are genuinely being implemented and the decommissioning is a major and momentous event," he added.
Mr Hain said that following decommissioning, Independent Monitoring Commission reports, most importantly January's IMC report, could further establish that the IRA had truly ended its armed campaign and put its arms beyond use.
Thereafter there would be pressure for political negotiations leading to the restoration of the Northern Executive, he indicated. "Then we can get moving," said Mr Hain.
Mr Adams said yesterday that he would not speculate on whether or not IRA decommissioning was imminent. "But I am quite confident that the IRA is going to deliver on the commitments it has made," he added.
Referring to his visit to meet the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe and other IRA prisoners in Castlerea on Tuesday, Mr Adams said Sinn Féin was still campaigning for their early release.
He added, however, that the killers of Det Garda McCabe had not altered their March statement saying their release should not be a part of any political negotiations.
Mr Dermot Ahern, who hoped IRA disarmament would happen "sooner rather than later", was categorical yesterday that those convicted of Det Garda McCabe's killing would not get early release.
There was no point in Mr Adams or Sinn Féin pursuing the issue with the Government, he added.
"If they want to try and bring it up again they will be meeting a brick wall. I can assure you it will not be on the agenda as far as the Irish Government is concerned," he said at Stormont.
"The Taoiseach, in fact in the Dáil, has said that as long as he is Taoiseach the issue of Garda McCabe and Jerry McCabe's killers will not be on the agenda in relation to any of the discussions," added Mr Ahern.
The report of the Independent Monitoring Commission into the UVF/Loyalist Volunteer Force feud will be published today.
