Irish Deal Stalls Over IRA Arms Pictures (from ATSNN), page 1

A package, which had been painstakingly worked out in talks over the last several weeks, included a commitment from the IRA to give up all of it's weapons, as well as to pledge it was going out of business as a fighting force has stalled at the final moment. Demands by Protestant unionists, for photographic evidence of IRA guerillas scrapping their weapons, has stopped the package in it's tracks.

www.reuters.com
BELFAST, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - A major push to seal a political settlement for the turbulent British province of Northern Ireland stalled at the last moment Wednesday over demands for photographic evidence of IRA guerrillas scrapping their arms.

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A package that could actually have brought some peace in the world. Ian Paisley, a 78 year old hard-line preacher is demanding the photographs, to show repentance for 3 decades of conflict.

I realize that this is certainly a touchy subject. While proof is always a requirement, to "humiliate" the IRA with the "repentance" remark was probably not the wisest move.

[edit on 8-12-2004 by ZeddicusZulZorander]