The two monitors announced they would continue to inspect the dumps on a regular basis. Political leaders have urged the IRA to move beyond symbolic gestures and begin the decommissioning process. But the IRA and its supporters have been hesitant to reveal and destroy quantities of their arms. However, details about how and when disarmament would take place could not be agreed. When the deadline passed without the decommissioning process occurring, many felt that the entire peace process was threatened.
Experts believe decommissioning is more than just a confidence-building measure.
They see the quantity of IRA arms as a real threat to peace, even though the IRA and its supporters have maintained a three year cease fire. The number of IRA arms is significant. The IRA's agreement to proceed with the arms inspections was a promising step in fulfilling the obligations of the Good Friday Accord. But it is only one step in what has proven to be a delicate negotiation of power-sharing and compromise. As the situation remains fraught with peril, all sides should take this development positively and press to move the Good Friday process forward without any further delay.