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British Government draft paper in response to UUP questions on decommissioning, September 1996

Writing Peace: The National Archives of Ireland (NAI)

This draft paper by the British Government draft paper responds to UUP [Ulster Unionist Party] concerns about the implementation of decommissioning, drawing a distinction between voluntary decommissioning and forced seizure of weapons and emphasising the Governments’ commitment to the International Body’s compromise approach, which calls for simultaneous steps in political progress and decommissioning. The paper outlines a structure of purposive action for the decommissioning progress, including an intent to enact legislation before Christmas and the reassurance that a commitment to implement the report of the International Body would be necessary for Sinn Fein’s entry into talks. The document records the establishment of a committee for this purpose chaired by the Independent Chairman of the Plenary, Senator George J Mitchell, and the Governments’ intent to provide technical and legal expertise to the committee. The British Government notes that the committee would immediately begin deciding powers and privileges for the Independent Commission, and that the committee will make recommendations to the Governments regarding a mutual decommissioning scheme between Republicans and Loyalists.

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The National Archives of Ireland
Folder 01
72 1996 - 1997
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NAI, 2021/51/19, accessed via the Quill Project at https://www.quillproject.net/resource_collections/353/resource_item/33999.