Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

U.S. Special Envoy Mitchell Reiss response to the IRA statement

Mitchell Reiss, U.S. President George W. Bush's special envoy said: "The statement is very encouraging, it's potentially historic, and we need to wait and see over the next weeks and months if these words can be translated into deeds to determine if it is truly historic."

"I am hopeful there will be a major act of decommissioning, an end to all the arms that the IRA has, in the next few weeks if not sooner."

"I think what we need to see is the quality of the statement that comes out of de Chastelain. Is he going to be happy with what he witnesses in terms of the dumping of all arms? That's going to be quite important."

"We have been closely coordinating and in contact with all the political parties in Northern Ireland and the two governments, especially in the last few weeks as we've had the run-up to today's statement.

"We are going to continue to work with all the parties. I've already been in phone contact with the major leaders. I'll be travelling to the region in the next few weeks."