Putting guns 'beyond use' is not the formal decommissioning politicians in London, Dublin and Belfast have been calling for.

The struggle to maintain the Union was on "a new and more complex battlefield," said the UDA, adding: "In consideration of this new reality, all active service units of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) will, as from 12pm tonight, stand down with all military intelligence destroyed, and, as a consequence of this, all weaponry will be put beyond use."

The message was read to members and supporters at Remembrance Day services at UDA memorials across the province when wreaths were laid in memory to dead colleagues.

The UDA also sent out a general order to all members not to be involved in crime or criminality and said those who had joined its ranks for such purposes had to be rooted out.

Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward welcomed the announcement, saying: "This is a very important statement by the leadership of the UDA. They have acknowledged that the war is over and call on all active service units to stand down.

"This is a significant move by the leadership of the UDA. It is essential that the commitments they have given today - those of an end to violence and criminality - are implemented on the ground. They will be judged by their actions, not their words."

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern also welcomed the move, saying: "The commitments to stand-down the UFF in its entirety and to put all weaponry beyond use are to be welcomed."

The Social Development Minister in the devolved Stormont administration, Margaret Ritchie, recently announced she was cutting off £1.2 million in funding to loyalist organisations because the UDA had failed to decommission.

It looked like the statement will not change her mind. She said: "I welcome the positive aspects of this statement, however it is disappointing that there is still no intention on the part of the UDA to decommission its weapons."