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These documents were scanned, collated and catalogued by Ruth Murray, Annabel Harris, Isha Pareek, Eleanor Williams, Antoine Yenk, Harriet Carter, Oliver Nicholls, Kieran Wetherwick, and Cerys Griffiths.
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{CLI/22656} {Note}
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM: D J R HILL POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM 25 JUNE 1996
cc PS/Secretary of State(L+J) -B PS/Sir John Wheeler (L, B_DFP) -B PS/ Michael Ancram (L, B+DENI) -B PS/Malcolm Moss (L, DOE+DHSS) -B PS/Baroness Denton (L, DED+DANI) -B PS/PUS (L+B) -B PS/Sir David Fell -B Mr Thomas (L+B) -B Mr Bell -B Mr Legge -B Mr Leach (L+B) -B Mr Steele -B Mr Watkins -B {~~MRS~~ MON OIR} Mr Wood (L+B) -B Mr Beeton -B Mr Currie -B Mr ~~Hill~~ (L+B) -B Mr Lavery -B Mr Maccabe -B Mr Perry -B Mr Stephens -B Ms Checksfield -B Miss Harrison (L+B) -B Ms Mapstone -B Mr Whysall (L+B) -B Ms Collins, Cab Off (via IPL) -B Mr O'Mahony, TAU -B Mr Lamont, RID -B HMA Dublin -B Mr Westmacott, (via RID) -B Mr Campbell-Bannerman -B Mrs McNally (L+B) -B
File Note
TALKS: RULES OF PROCEDURE - 24 JUNE
A long day during which the Irish and the UUP talked but failed to communicate. Attempts by HMG to encourage both sides to understand the other's position led to several attacks of paranoia on the Irish side, directed at the British good faith. They eventually came grudgingly to accept that Unionist concerns about paragraph 15 and 15A of the draft rules of procedure we had agreed with them on Thursday were genuine - reflecting political/presentational problems which the wording could cause the UUP via-a-vis the UK UP and DUP.
2. They were eventually persuaded to agree to two minor changes and then (at 9.45pm after another hour's struggle) to agree that those should be tabled in the attached paper [the two changes are underlined] setting out proposed amendments to the Chairman's text of 19 June.
3. It had previously been agreed in "Committee" that proposals for amendments would be tabled yesterday evening for circulation in a consolidated form by the Chairman this morning as a basis for round table discussion starting at 10am. With luck this will reduce some of the frustration\, felt especially by the smaller parties\, and could facilitate agreement on free-standing rules of procedure.
(Signed)
D J R HILL POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM EXT CB 22317
DRAFT RULES OF PROCEDURE 24 JUNE 9.45pm
_Proposed amendments to 19 June 1996 text: Submitted by the British and Irish Governments_
Paragraph 2, at end insert:
> Strand One will cover relationships within Northern Ireland, including the relationship between any new institutions there and the Westminster Parliament; Strand Two will cover relationships within the island of Ireland; and Strand Three will cover relationships between the British and Irish Governments. Negotiations on Strand One issues will involve the British Government and the political parties. Negotiations on Strand Three issues will be between the two Governments. Negotiations in all other formats will involve the British and Irish Governments and the political parties.
Paragraph 10, third line, delete "sub-committees established" and insert "committees or sub-committees"; and at end insert "Negotiations in each strand will open on the same day and proceed in parallel."
Before paragraph 12, insert
> "The Business Committee will co-ordinate the progress and procedures of the negotiations. It will not deal with the substance of the negotiations but will address unresolved procedural issues. It may also determine the modalities for dealing with any issue which does not fall exclusively within any of the three strands."
Paragraph 13, at end insert "However, unless otherwise agreed by the Business Committee, negotiating sessions in different formats, or within formats, will not be held simultaneously, to allow participants, if they so wish, the option of fielding the same negotiating team throughout the negotiations."
Paragraph 15, second line, after "adopted" insert "by agreement"; and insert new second sentence: "That agenda will include all the significant items which the individual participants consider relevant and which will, therefore, have to be addressed in the search for agreement. Participants ..."
After paragraph 15 insert two new paragraphs:
15A. All participants in the negotiations will take part in good faith, seriously address all aspects of the agreed agenda, and make every effort to reach a comprehensive agreement. They will maintain confidentiality on all aspects of the negotiations except where they may from time to time agree to publicity.
15B. Strand One negotiations will take place in Castle Buildings, Belfast. Strand Two negotiations will take place in Belfast, Dublin and London, at times agreed by the Business Committee. The two Governments will determine where Strand Three meetings will take place. The Business Committee shall determine the venue of its own meetings.
After paragraph 17, insert new paragraph:
17A. Any participant in the format in question will be free to raise any aspect of the three relationships, including constitutional issues and any other matter which it considers relevant. No outcome is either pre-determined or excluded in advance or limited by anything other than the need for agreement. Participation in negotiations is without prejudice to any participant's commitment to the achievement by exclusively peaceful and democratic means of its own preferred options. It is common ground that any agreement, if it is to command widespread support, will need to give adequate expression to the totality of all three relationships.
After paragraph 20, insert new paragraph:
20A. Participating political parties may only be represented at meetings of the Plenary, or to discuss Strand One, Strand Two or Strand Three issues, by elected delegates. Such delegates may be supported in meetings by researchers or others who are not elected. The numbers of delegates and supporters participating in any one meeting shall be agreed by the Business Committee.
Paragraph 25, third line, delete "point" and insert "proposition"; and delete "of" and insert "that the proposition has been approved by".
After paragraph 28, insert new paragraph:
28A. The negotiations will proceed on the principle that nothing will be finally agreed in any format until everything is agreed in the negotiations as a whole. Subject to this principle, it would nevertheless be possible, solely on the basis of consensus among the participants, to proceed on the assumption of contingent agreement on any individual aspect of the negotiations.
Paragraph 30, last line, before "political parties" insert "participating".
Paragraph 32, delete last sentence.
Delete paragraph 33 and insert:
33. In addition\, in relation to Strand Three issues\, each party\, acting independently or in conjunction with others\, may\, on its initiative or otherwise\, confer with either or both Governments in order to consult on issues under discussion and advance its own views\, orally or in writing. In response\, each Government will explain its own views and take full account of those put to it by the parties.
CONFIDENTIAL POLDEVT/337
27 1988 - 2023
38 1993 - 1993
55 101 - 1991
64 1993 - 2020
26 1993 - 1993
57 1993 - 1993
59 1993 - 1993
51 1993 - 1993
18 1993 - 1993
24 1993 - 1994
41 1993 - 1994
32 1993 - 1994
72 101 - 1994
8 101 - 1990
76 101 - 1994
1 1994
60 101 - 1994
65 1993 - 2023
37 101 - 1993
54 101 - 1993
32 101 - 1993
77 1993 - 1993
58 101 - 2018
49 1993 - 1997
61 101 - 1992
38 101 - 1991
48 1992 - 1993
134 101 - ?-??
59 101 - 2023
84 101 - 1993
64 101 - 1991
44
11
31 1996 - 1996
61 1996 - 1996
49 1996 - 1996
20 1996 - 1997
32 1996 - 1996
48 1996 - 1996
74 1996 - None
4 1996 - 1996
33 1996 - 1996
30 1996 - 1996
7 1996 - 1996
24 1996 - 1996
9 1996 - 1996
59 1996 - 1996
60 1996 - 1996
14 1996 - 1997
41 1996 - 1996
45 1996 - 1996
67 1996 - 1996
16 1996 - 1996
87 1996 - None
23 1996 - 1996
79 1996 - None
22 1996 - 1996
1996-06-25
The bulk of this document is a list of amendments proposed by the British and Irish governments to paragraphs 2, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 25, 28, 30, 32 and 33. It is enclosed with a brief covering note describing the difficulty of agreeing amendments to paragraph 15 with the Irish government.
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Unless otherwise specified, this material falls under Crown Copyright and contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The National Archives of the UK (TNA), digitzed by the Quill Project at https://quillproject.net/resource_collections/351/.