Good Friday Agreement: Martin McGuinness 'saw more progress in politics'
Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) chief constable during the peace talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement, was a central figure in the road to the deal.
It was his assessment that the IRA was involved in some killings at the time, which led to Sinn Féin being temporarily suspended from participating in the talks.
He also had a close up view on the challenges faced by republican leaders, who were attempting to bring an end to the IRA's armed campaign.
Speaking to former BBC security editor Brian Rowan, Sir Ronnie said Sinn Féin leaders Gerry Adams and the late Martin McGuinness had a "difficult struggle" in trying to hold "the critical mass of their organisation behind them".
Just months before Good Friday, they had survived an attempted coup - a battle inside a so-called IRA convention, which elects the leadership and decides policy.
Sir Ronnie also remembered Mr McGuinness, who died in 2017, as someone who "didn't suddenly become a good person", but someone who believed there could be more progress along a political route.
"And having made that pragmatic decision he was undoubtedly, thereafter, a peacemaker," he added.