Following the suspension of the Stormont assembly yesterday, a senior republican has said what unionists have been clamouring to hear – that the IRA's war is over.

Martin Meehan, a Sinn Fein councillor for Antrim North West since 2001, made his comments during an interview with BBC's 'Spotlight' programme aired last night.

During the programme, Mr Meehan said that the war had been "over for a long time".

"The war, in my opinion, has been over for a long time. Republicans are on the road to democracy. They want to see democracy working. They want to see politics working," he said.

A statement of this nature, coming from such a high profile and well-respected figure within republicanism, may signal the beginning of further conciliation between hardline activists and peaceniks within the movement.

Meehan, reportedly a former IRA commander in Ardoyne, is an influential figure within militant republicanism and public statements from him on the end of the 'war' could appear more palatable to grassroots support.

Martin Meehan is a convicted member of the IRA and was arrested under the special powers act in 1971, only to escape custody shortly afterwards. He has stood for Sinn Fein in the South Antrim parliamentary constituency since 1992, and was among the first to greet Brighton bomber Patrick Magee on his release from prison in 1999.

Indeed, Patrick Magee, in an interview on October 11, voiced his "optimism" that the present difficulties with the peace will be overcome.

"I'm optimistic about the future, despite setbacks, despite the fact it's a very fraught process that's going to be long, dragged out, and it's going to be decades before we get there. There's real wind behind the sails of this peace process and it will get it over the hurdles," he said.

Elsewhere, the pressure on the IRA to explicitly state that the 'war is over' has intensified as Church of Ireland Primate of Ireland, Dr Robin Eames, called on the IRA to rebuild confidence and stand down.

Speaking at a synod meeting earlier today, Dr Eames said: "Give us the reassurance that the war is over for good. Then let us move on with a new confidence across the community. But let us move on together."

President Bush's special advisor to Northern Ireland Richard Haass has also called on paramilitaries to turn away from violence. Mr Haass said: "I would say the IRA, and paramilitaries across the board need to complete the transition and essentially go out of business."

Speaking today, US President Bush praised British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for the "difficult but necessary decision" to suspend the power-sharing executive.

Mr Bush added: "I call for all parties to make unequivocal their commitment to exclusively peaceful and democratic means for pursuing their interests. There is simply no place for paramilitaries in a democratic society."

(GMcG)