In a breakthrough that took more than a decade of diplomacy, arms inspectors on Monday declared that the Irish Republican Army (IRA) had disposed of its entire weapons stockpile, two months after announcing its commitment to put down arms.

The announcement by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) has been hailed by many as an important step forward. British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcome it as "a moment we've been waiting for."

"This does offer us the hope, that after all these years, sometimes very difficult years, the peace process in Northern Ireland can now be fulfilled," said Blair.

The British prime minister hoped that in time it would be possible to restore the province's local assembly and executive, which were suspended in 2002.

This move is also welcomed by Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern, who called it a "landmark," saying "many believed that this day would never come, but it has now come about."

The IRA, the main Catholic paramilitary group which fought for decades to end British rule in Northern Ireland, has been a thorn in the side of both the British and the Irish.

From 1970s to 1990s, the IRA launched various attacks in Britain targeting British soldiers, police, and civilians alike, killing over 3,000 innocent people while injuring more than 10,000 others.

In 1998, with mediation efforts from Britain, Ireland and the United States, a "Good Friday Agreement" was signed by all parties in the province and a local autonomous assembly was established. But as the IRA refused to disarm, the peace process remained deadlocked.

The IRA was facing growing pressure to disarm as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which took a hard-line stance against the IRA, replaced a more "moderate" Ulster Unionist Party and became the largest party in Northern Ireland following this year's elections.

DUP leader Ian Paisley said openly that there will be no negotiations on power-sharing in the province with Sinn Fein, the IRA's political wing, if the IRA fails to disarm.

Hence Sinn Fein, which used to share power with the DUP, risked increasing marginalization. To ensure its political status, Sinn Fein called on the IRA to forsake their arms and embrace peace.

In April, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams urged the IRA to revive the political process in Northern Ireland. After two-months of internal consultations, the IRA finally declared on July 28 they would give up armed struggle and seek a political resolution.

In addition, the paramilitary group which had been widely associated with terrorist activities in Britain has been under greater pressure in the wake of the serial terrorist bombings in London in July.

Tony Blair's pledge to not bow to terrorism and the ensuing counter-terrorist measures sent constant alarms to the IRA that its virtual existence would be endangered if it did not disarm.

In addition, the role of the United States in the IRA issue should not be downplayed.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States, which previously sympathized and supported the IRA, gradually estranged itself from the IRA and Sinn Fein in its "fight on terrorism."

After the robbery of Belfast's Northern Bank at the end of last year, which involved 26 million pounds (some US$50 million), and the murder of 33-year-old Robert McCartney, a Northern Irish Catholic in Belfast, both believed to be the doings of the IRA, the United States government started pressuring the IRA and Sinn Fein to disarm.

Adding to the political pressure, President George W. Bush refused to meet Adams at the annual St. Patrick Day celebrations.

On Monday, immediately after the announcement of the IRA's complete decommissioning, the White House spokesman issued a statement acknowledging the critical step in sustaining lasting peace.

While assuring its support to the peace process in the province, the statement asks the IRA to strictly abide by the law and its commitment to give up violence and weapons.

However, for all the excitement from relevant governments, DUP leader Paisley expressed doubts over the decommissioning and considered the whole process as lacking transparency.

"Instead of openness there was the cunning tactics of a cover-up. We do not know how many guns, the amounts of ammunition, explosives, nor were we told how the decommissioning was carried out."

There were no photographs, no inventory, and even the two clergymen who witnessed and certified the process had been acknowledged by the IRA, and therefore cannot be deemed as independent, he noted.

Analysts believe that decommissioning is far from an end of the Northern Ireland issue. The will to forsake arms and any kinds of violence is more critical.

The Financial Times said in its commentary that although both British and Irish governments are aware that not all of IRA's weapons have been destroyed, there appears to be sufficient trust that the IRA as an organization no longer has the military capacity to carry out a large-scale attack on the British mainland or seriously destabilize Ulster.

It is the hope of the two governments that negotiations between Sinn Fein and the DUP could restart next spring to put into operation the local assembly. However, the rivalry that has accumulated over decades cannot be dispersed instantly.

As Blair put it, "after their disappointments of the past, confidence will not be rebuilt overnight. But that should not blind us to the true significance of the progress now being made to implement the commitments made by the IRA in July and to remove a key obstacle to progress."

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2005)