Aug. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The Democratic Unionist Party, Northern Ireland's biggest political party, will work with Sinn Fein if the Irish Republican Army ends paramilitary violence and puts its weapons out of commission, deputy party leader Peter Robinson wrote in the Irish Times.

Sinn Fein must be ``exclusively peaceful and democratic,'' Robinson wrote. This would ``substantially increase confidence within the unionist community.'' The DUP would support transferring control of the province's police force from the U.K. government in London to Belfast, Robinson wrote.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said this month that the IRA may need to be disbanded to persuade unionists to share power.

Northern Ireland's executive, set up in 1998 to enable joint rule of the province by unionists and republicans, was suspended in 2002 after allegations the IRA was involved in espionage within the Northern Ireland Office of the U.K. government. The province has been ruled from London since then.

(Irish Times 8-16 14)

To contact the reporter on this story: Fergal O'Brien in Dublin at fobrien@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 16, 2004 03:01 EDT