Commends de Chastelain commission for sustaining the process

President Bush was "heartened" by the announcement on April 8 that the
Irish Republican Army (IRA) had completed another act of
decommissioning.

White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said that the latest action
"reinforces that decommissioning is an on-going process, not a single
event" toward implementation of the Good Friday Agreement for Northern
Ireland. The United States urges movement on other issues central to
the peace process, he added, "including the participation of all
parties on the new policing board and further demilitarization."

Following is Fleischer's statement:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary (Knoxville, Tennessee)
April 8, 2002

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The President welcomes today's announcement that the IRA has completed
another act of decommissioning. This decision, as described by the
International Independent Commission on Decommissioning, to put a
"varied and substantial quantity of ammunition, arms, and explosive
material beyond use" is the second act of decommissioning inside six
months. It reinforces that decommissioning is an on-going process, not
a single event.

The President commends General de Chastelain and his colleague Andy
Sens at the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning
for their efforts to launch and sustain this process.

Decommissioning by all paramilitary groups is critical to the full
implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. We call on all
paramilitary organizations to decommission their weapons and to
abstain from obtaining additional weaponry. We also renew our call for
movement on other issues central to the Northern Ireland Peace
Process, including the participation of all parties on the new
policing board and further demilitarization.

We are heartened by today's events and look forward to a future in
Northern Ireland where political disputes are resolved exclusively
through peaceful means.