The Irish Republican Army should abide by its agreement to disarm and its recent refusal to do so is "unwelcome", the U.S. State Department said Friday. The IRA announced it would no longer give up weapons because the governments in London and Dublin have "tried its patience to the limit", a move that could jeopardize the peace process. Under the Good Friday agreement, the group that seeks an independent Northern Ireland agreed to disarm. "We believe this statement is unwelcome," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said. "We share the view of the British and Irish prime ministers that the continuation of paramilitarism and associated criminality remain the central obstacle to a lasting and durable peace in Northern Ireland." ---SP 0003 Local Time 2103 GMT
