Sinn Fein's Adams says IRA may cease to exist

CINCINNATI, Sunday (Reuters)

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, in his first stop during a week-long visit to the United States, stressed his belief that the Irish Republican Army will one day cease to exist.

Adams reiterated what he told a Sinn Fein party conference a week ago that, "We in Sinn Fein want to see the IRA ceasing to be. I have said that I do think we'll see the day when there is no IRA."

The head of the IRA's political ally began his visit under fire on both sides of the Atlantic over his party's ties to the guerrilla group, which has been accused of robbing a bank and shielding the killers of a Roman Catholic man in Northern Ireland.

But Adams said he was unaware that a U.S. State Department official called on Friday for the political party to make a "clear break" with the IRA to restore the progress made toward a united Northern Irish government, based on equality between Catholics and Protestants.

Adams is scheduled for a meeting with that official, special envoy Mitchell Reiss, in Washington on Wednesday. Reiss said the party must sever its links to the outlawed group, which remains armed despite its cease-fire, telling Reuters "It hard to understand how a European country in the year 2005 can have a private army associated with a political party."

"I'd be surprised if he did make that a condition for achieving progress in the peace process, but I'm looking forward to meeting with him," Adams told a news conference.

He said he was disappointed but not offended that he was not invited to meet with President George W. Bush at the White House on Thursday, St. Patrick's Day, when the president traditionally gets together with Irish government leaders.