N. Ireland loyalist paramilitary renounces violence

Mr Ahern said he looked forward to decommissioning and expressed sympathy for the UVF's victims. "I have always said the peace process must leave nobody behind . . . that there must be an end to all paramilitary and criminal activity by all organisations, loyalist and republican."

Tony Blair's spokesman said: "We welcome this announcement, but as with statements from other paramilitary groups in the past we await to see it in action. What is underlined however, once again, is that the peace process has worked."

The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD), the organization that oversaw the Irish Republican Army disarmament that began in 2005 and paved the way for Sinn Féin, the IRA's political arm, to enter into a devolved Irish government set to restart this month, expressed concern about the UVF's intention to deal with disarmament on their own, writes The Daily Record of Glasgow.

A spokesman for the body said: "Without the commission's involvement, their action on arms does not meet the requirement of the decommissioning legislation and the agreement reached by the parties in the Belfast Agreement.

"We are prepared to meet the UVF representative to discuss how we can work together in dealing with arms."

Brian Rowan of The Belfast Telegraph writes that when told of the IICD's statement, the UVF's Mr. Spence remained unbowed.

"Whether it meets the legislation or not, people have put their weapons beyond reach," he answered.

"If that doesn't suit people, then that's just too bad. As far as the UVF is concerned they are put beyond reach and they are not a danger to anybody."

Mr. Rowan notes that Mr. Hutchinson did speak to IICD officials about the UVF's plan to disarm, and likely would again. Still, Rowan argues, in describing its weapons as "beyond reach" and its intelligence as "rendered obsolete," the UVF announcement leaves many questions unanswered.

In the paramilitary dictionary, what does "beyond reach" mean - and what does "obsolete" mean? Can the guns still be used? Has all the intelligence information been destroyed?

There is a dancing around those questions. The UVF doesn't like them being asked, and doesn't want to answer. ...

The arms issue hasn't gone away.

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