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Writing Peace: The National Archives of the UK (TNA)

Memo from John Blelloch to John McConnell Regarding His Previous Meeting with Alec Reid

Monday, 18 September 2023

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This memo outlines John Blelloch's thoughts on John McConnell's last meeting with Father Alec Reid. It notes that recognition of Sinn Féin would likely be part of any ceasefire package, provided that they renounce violence. Part of the document has been retained either under Section 3(4) of the Public Records Act 1958 or closed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

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FROM PUS
18 September 1989

MR J MCCONNELL [1]

cc PS/SofS (L&B) [2&3]
Mr Burns [4]
Mr Deverell [5]
Mr Miles [6]
Mr Daniell [7]
PUS (L&B) [8-11]

Discussion with Fr Reid

2. Perhaps I am wrong, but this seems to me to have been something of a let down following your previous meeting: what, for example, has happened to the six questions? But of course, you must keep in touch and I take it that the steering brief endorsed by the SofS is still sufficient for your purposes.

3. The only point that interested me was the reference in the first of your paragraph 5s to the absence of anything "of a political nature" in 1974-5. This is perhaps a point to be picked up in any speculative cease fire "package" [...] For what it is worth it has seemed to me for some time that however unpalatable, some form of recognition for Sinn Fein looks to be an inevitable part of any such package, provided they sound as if they mean business in forswearing violence.

[signed]
John Blelloch