On September 14, 1998, Sinn Féin – the Irish Republican Army‘s (IRA) political wing – is warned by First Minister of Northern Ireland, David Trimble, that it cannot take up seats in the new Northern Ireland Assembly’s ruling executive until the IRA’s vast armory of weapons are decommissioned.

With 18 seats in the 108-seat Assembly, Sinn Féin should be entitled to two ministerial posts. However, Trimble is ready to delay, until Christmas if necessary, the formation of the 10-member cabinet in the hope of prior IRA disarmament.

Trimble, referring to Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams‘s declaration that violence “must be over, done with, a thing of the past,” says he welcomes the move. “However, as in all partnerships, the opportunity to implement the Agreement in its entirety is predicated on trust and equality.”

“There can be neither trust nor equality if one party to the Agreement is not prepared to destroy the weapons of war. We should all be here relying only on our votes and not on weapons. I hope we will see those previously engaged in violence now embrace peace with a new vigour.”

Trimble adds, “I’m determined to do everything I can to make the Agreement work. However, I, and I am sure by far the greater number of people, simply cannot reconcile people in positions of government with a failure to discharge their responsibility under the Agreement to dismantle terrorist organisations.”

Adams responds that Sinn Féin should enjoy “a direct and automatic right” to hold two seats in the executive.

Trimble speaks after the Northern Ireland Assembly pays tribute to the 29 victims of the bombing in Omagh, County Tyrone, on August 15 by dissident members of the IRA.

Sinn Féin appoints its strategist Martin McGuinness to act as an intermediary between the IRA and the international body set up to oversee arms decommissioning.

The previous week, Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern makes it clear that he does not see decommissioning as a precondition for the inclusion of Sinn Féin in the executive.

However, time is running out. In less than six months, by February 1999, Westminster is due to transfer powers to the “shadow assembly,” which will have authority over all areas except defence, police, foreign policy and tax.

(From: “Trimble gives Sinn Fein ultimatum over arms,” by BBC News, http://www.news.bbc.co.uk, September 14, 1998)