Adams' Speech Leaves Ambiguities Says Ford

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th Apr 2005

Alliance Party Leader, David Ford, responding to Gerry Adam's 'speech directed at the IRA' has stated that it fails to address crucial ambiguities regarding commitments from Republicans to common standards of democracy, human right and the rule of law.

David Ford said:

"People have a right to be sceptical about the future intentions of the Republican Movement given their past activities, including those of recent months. Alliance will be judging the Republican Movement not on their words but on their future deeds. But there is a fundamental problem in Adams' speech.

"It is basically another reiteration, albeit in even stronger language that before, that their armed struggle should end, and the IRA move into a new phase of activity.

"However, it fails to address the key questions as to whether Republicans are prepared to accept the same common standards of democracy, human rights and the rule of law as everyone else on the island of Ireland. Do Republicans accept that there is no longer legitimate for them to run a private army or police force in competition with either the northern or the southern state? Do they accept that a crime is a crime, even when IRA activists have committed it?

"These ambiguities have been present in all previous IRA statements, including the abortive comprehensive agreement of last December.

"Only Alliance had been demanding this clarity before last December. As a result of events over previous months, others have demanding such clarity too.

"Republicans need to be clear that there will be a end to all paramilitary and criminal activity - nice and simple."