IRA in arms breakthrough
The IRA has said it has put weapons "beyond use" in what will be widely seen as an historic breakthrough for the Northern Ireland peace process.
Confirmation of what the IRA called an "unprecedented" move came in a statement on Tuesday.
The IRA leadership confirmed that a scheme agreed with the decommissioning body in August to put weapons "completely and verifiably beyond use" had been implemented.
This is the first time that a republican group which has violently resisted the British presence in Ireland has ever disposed of weaponry.
The move - long demanded by unionists - seems certain to breathe new life into the troubled peace process.
This unprecedented move is to save the peace process and to persuade others of our genuine intentions
IRA statement
As yet there is no detail as to what quantity of arms was involved or where it occurred.
If there is to be more detail, it may come in a report from the de Chastelain arms commission later.
The statement referred to a political process on the "point of collapse" and said such a "collapse would certainly and eventually put the overall peace process in jeopardy".
The IRA said its motivation was "to save the peace process".
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to make a statement on the IRA move later on Tuesday.
If the move is acceptable to Northern Ireland's largest unionist party, the Ulster Unionists, led by David Trimble, it could lead to the restoration of Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive.
The UK government is expected to respond swiftly to the move, possibly by scaling back on some controversial military bases in south Armagh.
John de Chastelain: Head of the decommissioning body
The move by the IRA to begin decommissioning had been widely expected after a statement from Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams on Monday that he had recommended a "ground-breaking" step on the arms issue.
The absence of decommissioning of arms has been a key stumbling block to progress in the stalled Northern Ireland political process.
The latest crisis was precipitated by David Trimble's resignation as first minister in July, a move designed to put pressure on the mainstream republican movement.
In August, the IRA confirmed that it had agreed a scheme with the international arms decommissioning body to put arms "completely and verifiably beyond use".
However, the unionists rejected the IRA statement, and Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid suspended the devolved institutions for one day to trigger another six-week negotiating period.
That sparked fury among nationalists - with republicans accusing the British Government of pandering to the unionists.
Less than a week after widespread speculation that decommissioning could begin, the IRA issued a new statement, withdrawing the offer it had put before General John de Chastelain's international arms body.
Political crisis
However, in September, the IRA said it would "intensify" its engagement with the de Chastelain commission.
Then, in October, David Trimble said he intended to bring the political crisis to a head by withdrawing the rest of the Ulster Unionist ministers because his party could no longer sit in the executive with Sinn Fein.
The Democratic Unionist Party also said it would withdraw its ministers from the executive.
The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, headed by General de Chastelain was set up under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement and began its work on 24 September 1997.
Its role is to verify the decommissioning process.
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