Stormont crisis: Paramilitary watchdog does not ensure progress, Reiss says

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-34286619

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A monitoring body to report on paramilitary activity would not guarantee political progress at Stormont, a former US special envoy to Northern Ireland has said.

Dr Mitchell Reiss had helped to set up the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) in 2004.

Its role was to assess paramilitary activity until it was wound up in 2011.

But he said he wanted more information about a proposed new version of the commission before he would support it.

Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive is currently gripped by a political crisis sparked by the murder of a former IRA man in Belfast last month.

Police said they believe Provisional IRA members had a role in the killing of Kevin McGuigan Sr.

Consideration

Chief Constable George Hamilton added that the IRA still existed but said it was not engaged in terrorism.

The Ulster Unionist Party subsequently withdrew from the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson then stepped aside as first minister last week, along with three other ministers from his party.

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers has said serious consideration should be given as to whether to re-establish a body along the lines of the IMC.

And Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan said he intended to discuss a proposal for a "type of oversight" on paramilitary activity.

Dr Reiss said the "mission and purpose" of a new monitoring body would need to be clearly outlined before it could be set up.

Reconciliation

He said: "Does it support political reconciliation? Does it help move the peace process forward?

"If the answers to those questions are yes, then I would argue people should move ahead with the IMC 2.0.

"If they're not or if people aren't certain, then I think it calls for some caution."

He added that there could be "other ways in which you can enhance political reconciliation".

Dr Reiss said he would "strongly recommend" that the US government play a part in moving the talks between the main parties in Northern Ireland forward if the British and Irish governments requested it to do so.

"We don't want to go where we're not wanted, but I know that if asked the American people and [the US] administration would respond immediately and generously."