FROM: ALLEN McVEIGH
TALKS SECRETARIAT
26 July 1996
cc PS/Secretary of State (B&L) - B
PS/Sir John Wheeler (B, L&DFP) - B
PS/Michael Ancram (B, L&DENI) - B
PS/Malcolm Moss (L, DHSS&DOE) - B
PS/Baroness Denton (L, DED&DANI) - B
PS/PUS (B&L) - B
PS/Sir David Fell - B
Mr Thomas (B&L) - B
Mr Legge - B
Mr Leach (B&L) - B
Mr Steele - B
Mr Watkins - B
Mr Wood (B&L) - B
Mr Beeton - B
Mr Currie - B
Mr Hill (B&L) - B
Mr Lavery - B
Mr Lindsay - B
Mr Maccabe
Mr Perry - B
Mr Stephens - B
Ms Checksfield - B
Miss Harrison (B&L) - B
Ms Mapstone - B
Mr Whysall (B&L) - B
Ms Collins, Cab Off (via IPL) - B
Mr Dickinson, TAU - B
Mr Lamont, RID - B
HMA, Dublin - B
Mr Westmacott (via RID) - B
Mr Campbell-Bannerman - B
Mrs NcNally (B&L) - B
NOTE FOR THE RECORD
TALKS: THURSDAY 25 JULY 1996: AFTERNOON AND EVENING SUMMARY
By the end of the day the UUP and the DUP had joined forces to hold out for more flesh and muscle (see paragraph 4 of Miss Harrison's summary note of yesterday) to go on the skeleton only approach advocated by the two Governments on decommissioning, otherwise certainly the UUP, the DUP probably, would not engage in the three-stranded Talks. Equally, the Irish and the SDLP, in the person of Seamus Mallon, held rigidly and refused to budge to accommodate Unionist concerns that, as things stood, decommissioning would be relegated to the Dick Spring preferred "fourth strand" where i t would be conveniently forgotten. It all boiled down to lack of trust (and understanding) by both sides, with neither prepared to move at this point.
2. All was not lost\, however\, when it emerged following much prodding and probing by HMG's team that no-one wanted to close up shop while potential customers might still be persuaded to make a full price purchase\, once it had been appreciated that no bargains were going to be on offer. An alternative might be to pull back to a position just before agreement ended\, putting off until September when the crunch decision would have to be faced\, thereby avoiding the shedding of tears this side of the recess. The Secretary of State's meeting with David Trimble t h i s morning in London should reveal the full depth of U P thinking on this matter and what flexibility (if any) exists to determine whether or not to continue to seek to broker a deal on this issue next week.
3. A composite set of proposals on the Opening Plenary agenda from the parties\, alongside the Governments earlier proposals\, was circulated by the Chairman's office at the afternoon informal conferral session (to be circulated separately) . Agreement was reached on much of the agenda for the outset of the resumed Opening Plenary Session\, which will commence at 10.00 am on Monday 29 July. (The Chairman put down a marker that participants should anticipate it and the remaining days prior to the recess to be lengthy\, and he hoped productive\, ones.) This included:
(i) adoption of paragraphs 30-36 of the Draft Rules of Procedure;
(ii) time-limited discussion of proposed amendments by the DUP (9) and UKUP (2): 5 minutes was agreed for all, except one UKUP amendment which was allowed 30 minutes, of which the proposers would be permitted 3 and 20 minutes respectively and the remaining time for others to utilise if desired;
(iii) adoption of the Rules of Procedure;
(iv) ratification of the Resolution tabled by the UKUP (agreed); and
(v) establishment of the Business Committee.
4. The Chairman anticipated that the above would require several hours\, following which there would be a lengthy break for lunch and further bilaterals to ascertain if agreement would be possible on the remainder - points 4-9 refer - of the proposed agenda of the Opening Plenary as tabled by the two Governments on 25 July. That remains to be seen and whether\, even with additional time allocated by agreement beyond Wednesday\, it can be successfully concluded before the summer recess.
[signed AMcV]
ALLEN McVEIGH
SH EXT 27089
