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| Loyalist UVF group in arms move | Loyalist UVF group in arms move |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| There are strong indications that a Northern Ireland paramilitary group has decommissioned a significant amount of its weapons. | There are strong indications that a Northern Ireland paramilitary group has decommissioned a significant amount of its weapons. |
| It is believed the government has been given details of the Ulster Volunteer Force move. | |
| General John de Chastelain, the head of an international decommissioning body, is believed to have witnessed the act. | General John de Chastelain, the head of an international decommissioning body, is believed to have witnessed the act. |
| Four years ago the IRA put its weapons "beyond use" in decommissioning witnessed by two churchmen. | Four years ago the IRA put its weapons "beyond use" in decommissioning witnessed by two churchmen. |
| The move comes ahead of Secretary of State Shaun Woodward's August deadline for significant progress on loyalist arms. | The move comes ahead of Secretary of State Shaun Woodward's August deadline for significant progress on loyalist arms. |
| Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson said any move by loyalists towards decommissioning would be "welcome". | Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson said any move by loyalists towards decommissioning would be "welcome". |
| "Over the last nine months the DUP has been engaged in ongoing discussions with both the UDA and UVF leaderships," he said. | "Over the last nine months the DUP has been engaged in ongoing discussions with both the UDA and UVF leaderships," he said. |
| "The objective of the discussions has been to assist the organisations' transformation from paramilitary organisations into people who are playing their full part in a peaceful and democratic Northern Ireland with violence and criminality being firmly a thing of the past." | "The objective of the discussions has been to assist the organisations' transformation from paramilitary organisations into people who are playing their full part in a peaceful and democratic Northern Ireland with violence and criminality being firmly a thing of the past." |
| He said they were aware the groups had been engaging with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, but said they did "not want to preempt the outcome of this process". | He said they were aware the groups had been engaging with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, but said they did "not want to preempt the outcome of this process". |
| The UVF was formed in 1966 and is believed to have murdered more than 500 people during the Troubles. | The UVF was formed in 1966 and is believed to have murdered more than 500 people during the Troubles. |
| In 2007 it declared that it was renouncing violence. | In 2007 it declared that it was renouncing violence. |