Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern welcomed Irish Republican Army call to end its armed campaign, saying it would be "a momentous and historic development" if it matches words with deeds. 

"Today's developments can herald a new era for all of the people on the island of Ireland," Ahern said in a statement.

"I welcome the commitment by the IRA to end its armed campaign, to complete the process of decommissioning and to use exclusively peaceful means," the Irish prime minister said.

"If the IRA's words are borne out by verified actions, it will be a momentous and historic development," he added.

"The end of the IRA as a paramilitary organisation is the outcome the governments have been working towards since the cessation of military activities in 1994.

"I believe we can look forward to a future of peace and prosperity, based on mutual trust and reconciliation, and a final end to violence," Ahern said.

The Irish and British governments have been trying to broker a lasting political settlement in Northern Ireland and restore power-sharing between the Catholic and Protestant communities under the 1998 agreement.

The government of British Prime Minister     Tony Blair suspended the joint assembly and reimposed direct rule in October 2002 following allegations of IRA espionage.

A joint statement by Ahern and Blair, which was released in Dublin and London, was more cautious than those given earlier by Blair and echoed points made by Ahern.

"If the IRA's words are borne out by actions, it will be a momentous and historic development," the statement said.

"We also acknowledge that trust has been damaged and will take time to rebuild," it said.

"Independent verification will be vitally important to enable trust and confidence to be restored."

The joint statement also expected "all parties and community leaders to use their influence to bring loyalist paramilitary and criminal activity to an end, including the full decommissioning of weapons."

(Source: AFP)