The road to decommissioning

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- Decommissioning of IRA weapons has dominated Northern Ireland's political progress since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on April 10, 1998.

The agreement said resolving the decommissioning issue was "an indispensable part" of the peace process, but with a month the IRA said it had no plans to decommission.

1999:

* July 20 -- Tony Blair and Irish Premier Bertie Ahern started a review of the peace process.

* October 17 -- Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams calls for "flexibility" on arms issue.

VIDEO Ireland's Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams talks about the IRA and the decision to disarm (October 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Ulster Unionists call the IRA move to disarm progress. CNN got reaction from Unionist MP Ken Maginnis (October 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

* October 18 -- Ulster Unionist hardliners warned they would resist any move away from the party's "no guns, no government" policy.

* November 16 -- Ulster Unionist Party and Sinn Fein express mutual desire to set up inclusive executive. Sinn Fein recognised need for decommissioning and devolution to be carried out simultaneously.

* November 17 -- IRA said it would appoint a representative to consult with General John de Chastelain's International Commission on Decommissioning to consult on weapons.

* November 27 -- Ruling Ulster Unionist Council back UUP leader David Trimble entering power-sharing Executive ahead of actual IRA decommissioning and agree to meet again in February 2000 to review situation.

* November 29 -- Power-sharing executive set up including Sinn Fein ministers Martin McGuinness and Bairbre de Brun.

* December 2 -- Power devolved from London.

2000:

* January 31 -- General de Chastelain reported to the British and Irish governments there has been no move towards IRA decommissioning.

* February 11 -- Devolution suspended and direct rule reintroduced.

* May 6 -- IRA gives commitment to engage with decommissioning body.

* May 30 -- Direct rule ended and devolution resumed.

* June 26 -- IRA confirmed it had re-engaged with the decommissioning body and that arms dumps had been inspected by de Chastelain's appointed inspectors -- former ANC Secretary General Cyril Ramaphosa and ex-Finnish Prime Minister Martti Ahtisarri -- and declared intact.

* October 26 -- Second arms inspection confirmed, but de Chastelain said there had been no discussion with IRA since initial contact in June.

* October 28 -- Trimble wins narrow victory in ruling Ulster Unionist Council to remain in government with Sinn Fein despite failure of IRA to decommission.

2001:

* January 30 -- High Court in Belfast ruled Trimble ban on Sinn Fein ministers unlawful as means to pressure IRA to decommission. Trimble maintained ban and said he would appeal.

* March 7 -- It was confirmed Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern would hold more talks at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down in bid to resolve political impasse.

* March 8 -- Hours ahead of the start of talks IRA said it would re-engage with decommissioning body.

* May 8 -- Trimble says he has signed and lodged a post-dated resignation as Northern Ireland First Minister effective on July 1 unless IRA had started decommissioning.

* May 30 -- Announcement there had been a third inspection of IRA arms dumps and that IRA continued to maintain contact with de Chastelain.

* June 20 -- IRA said again arms issue could be resolved but not by "unionist ultimatums" or on British terms.

* July 1 -- Trimble's resignation as First Minister became effective because of failure of IRA to decommission.

* August 8 -- IRA said it had agreed a scheme for decommissioning with de Chastelain body which confirmed.

* August 10 -- 24 hour suspension of Executive.

* August 14 -- IRA withdrew scheme because of suspension.

* September 19 -- IRA announced it would "intensify" talks with de Chastelain.

* October 7 -- Reports McGuinness had been appointed IRA Chief of Staff to facilitate decommissioning -- denied following day by McGuinness.

* October 8 -- Trimble said he would pull Ulster Unionist ministers out of Executive within days unless IRA decommissioning happened.

* October 13 -- McGuinness said he was working "flat-out" to get the IRA to decommission weapons.

* October 17 -- Trimble announces Ulster Unionist's three ministers will resign at midnight. The Democratic Unionist's two ministers follow suit. Failure of IRA to decommission within seven days would mean suspension of Assembly.

* October 20 -- As intensive behind the scenes efforts to achieve decommissioning continue, McGuinness continues "working very hard" towards that end.

* October 21 -- Ulster Secretary John Reid warns time running out for IRA to begin decommissioning if political structures are to be saved. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said any act of decommissioning by IRA would be because "it wants to rescue the peace process."

* October 22 -- Reid tells IRA an act of decommissioning would be met with a generous response from the British and Irish Governments and internationally. Failure to do so would simply not be understood. Series of high level behind scenes meetings. Eight hours later, Adams tells party activists in west Belfast: "Martin McGuinness and I have held discussions with the IRA and we have put to the IRA the view that if it could make a groundbreaking move on the arms issue that this could save the peace process from collapse and transform the situation."

* October 23 -- The IRA said it had begun decommissioning its weapons to save the peace process.