UDP meets de Chastelain

David Adams met General John de Chastelain

One of Northern Ireland's political parties linked to a loyalist paramilitary group has met the head of the decommissioning body.

An Ulster Democratic Party delegation had a meeting with General John de Chastelain on Thursday to discuss the recent political developments, including the statement from the IRA.

The meeting came within hours of former US senator George Mitchell delivering his final report on the review of the workings of the Good Friday Agreement.

UDP councillor David Adams told General de Chastelain that it had been a very positive week and that the right environment for decommissioning was being created.

Mr Adams said: "We were talking about all the recent developments within the process and there have been quite a few this week.

"Obvious the general was also wanting to know if we had any idea what sort of impact this may have on loyalist paramilitary positions.

"What we explained to him was that they, like everyone else I'm sure within Northern Ireland, were considering the developments that have taken place this week and that if and when they had a response to those developments that I am certain they would let he and I know about it," he said.

The Ulster Democratic Party are the political respresentatives of the loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Defense Association.