DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In Northern Ireland, the IRA is refusing to be forced into disarming on someone else's terms. Today's defiant statement comes at a critical moment in the move toward peace, as Ivan Little reports.</s>IVAN LITTLE, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The IRA statement was released in Dublin just as David Trimble was arriving in Belfast for a meeting with Gerry Adams, as last-ditch efforts continue to save the peace process and the Stormont assembly from collapse over the deadlock surrounding the decommissioning of the provisionals' weapons. In their statement, the IRA again said they pose no threat to the peace process, adding that they recognize decommissioning had to be dealt with in an acceptable way. They also said they believe the current crisis could be averted, but said the disarmament issue wouldn't be resolved on British or Irish terms and that it would not be advanced by British threats. After his half hour meeting with Mr. Adams, Mr. Trimble said the IRA statement didn't go far enough.</s>DAVID TRIMBLE, N. IRELAND FIRST MINISTER: It is a bit of a disappointment to see that they have nothing new to I say and that there's no new proposal contained within it. And I think that is most unfortunate.</s>LITTLE: Mr. Adams said the meeting had been worthwhile.</s>GERRY ADAMS, SINN FEIN PRESIDENT: We had an exchange of views. I think it was a useful exchange of views. And we have agreed that we will meet again as things proceed.</s>LITTLE: Downing Street wouldn't comment on the IRA statement. The spokesman said all sides were working flat out to resolve what was a contentious issue. Ivan Little, ITN, Belfast.
IRA Issues Defiant Statement on Disarmament