DRAFT COMMITTEE PROGRESS REPORT ON AGENDA ITEM 6: "FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM: UNDERLYING REALITIES; IDENTITY; ALLEGIANCE; CONSITITUTIONAL"

At its meeting on 2 September, Plenary agreed to constitute a committee to consider and report on issues arising under Agenda Item 6 in order to facilitate consideration of the common desire of the people of the island of Ireland for a new relationship, of the obstacles in the path of satisfying that desire and of the ways in which those obstacles might be overcome. It was agreed that the committee should comprise four members from each delegation.

The committee was instructed by Plenary to consider Agenda Item 6 in the light of the papers prepared on that item (which had been circulated on 28 August) and any other relevant papers tabled or statements made in the course of the talks and report progress to a Plenary meeting on the afternoon of Thursday, 10 September. This report has been prepared in response to Plenary's request.

The committee began its deliberations on the afternoon of 2 September by considering procedural matters. It was agreed that speaking rights would be accorded to two delegates per delegation, that no record would be taken of the committee's proceedings and that committee reports would be prepared by a small drafting group consisting of one nominee per delegation. Subsequent meetings were held on 3, 9 and 10 September.

The committee quickly established that there was a common desire among all parties for a new relationship among the people of the island of Ireland, but that there were numerous obstacles in the path of satisfying that desire. The parties tabled papers identifying the obstacles as they saw them [(copies at Annex B)]?.

The committee did not reach unanimous agreement on the order in which these obstacles should be considered, together with ways in which they might be overcome. The UDUP delegation dissented from a proposal, which was supported by the other delegations, that the obstacles be considered under four general headings which are set out in the agenda at Annex C. Subsequently, the UDUP formally recorded their opposition to the proposed order of business on the basis that it failed to accord priority to the issue of the "territorial claim". The leader and deputy leader of the UDUP delegation withdrew from the committee and indicated they would not return until this issue came to be addressed.

The committee completed consideration of item 1 on the attached agenda. It began its discussions by debating the general principles which might underlie any arrangements made to remedy the perceived lack of adequate channels of communication and co-operation between the two parts of Ireland. The attached list of principles (Annex D) is offered for consideration by Plenary.

There was agreement on the need for institutional arrangements to facilitate the desired north-south communication and cooperation. Agriculture, energy customs, tourism, access to EC funding, export marketing and fisheries were among the matters mentioned by delegations as fruitful areas for enhanced co-operation. The committee noted, after some useful discussion on the form institutional arrangements might take, that this matter would be discussed in detail under Agenda Item 9 ("Possible institutional arrangements to meet the requirements (including principles to govern such arrangements)").

[discussion on agenda item 2?]

The Committee has not fully discharged its remit and recommends that Plenary:

a. authorise the Committee to continue its work within the terms agreed on 2 September;

b. consider the merits of the Committee taking into consideration matters arising under other later agenda items

c. request a further report to be made to a Plenary meeting to be held in Dublin, commencing at 11.30 am on Monday, 21 September

• Draft Committee Progress Report (10-09-1992) (introduced on 1992-09-10 10:30:00 - CREATE - e799376) [This document]
  • Handwritten Amendments to Draft Committee Progress Report (introduced on 1992-09-10 10:30:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e799388) [This moment shown]

• Draft Committee Progress Report (10-09-1992) (introduced on 1992-09-10 10:30:00 - CREATE - e799376) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]
  • Handwritten Amendments to Draft Committee Progress Report (introduced on 1992-09-10 10:30:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e799388) [This moment shown] [view current proposal at this moment]