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  4. Letter from John Chilcot to Jonathan Stephens Recording a Meeting with Archbishop Eames on 22 October 1993

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

Letter from John Chilcot to Jonathan Stephens Recording a Meeting with Archbishop Eames on 22 October 1993

Tuesday, 26 October 1993

i23863

Main details discussed were Eames's access to the British Government and his assessment of the increasing violent capabilities of loyalists.

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FROM: PUS
26 OCTOBER 1993

Copy no ..... of [7]

cc. Mr Thomas [2]
Mr Deverell [3]
Mr Cooke [4]
Mr Rickard [5]
Mr Beeton [6]
Mr May [7]

PS/SECRETARY OF STATE
MR STEPHENS [1]

ARCHBISHOP EAMES

I had dinner with Archbishop Eames in London on Friday 22 October. The Archdeacon of London, George Cassidy, was present for much but not all of the time.

2. Although the weekend's events have somewhat occluded the conversation, the following points are worth recording:

(i) the Taoiseach has had two discussions already with the Archbishop about the Hume/Adams/ROI initiative and has shown Archbishop Eames what I take to be a copy of JD12;

(ii) the Archbishop will do anything he can, provided he can be warned/briefed in time, to help contain the Protestant reaction provided he can be reasonably assured that there is no compromise of basic principles. So far as the British Government is concerned, I said there was no compromise of principle remotely in view. Language and tone were difficult enough – very likely altogether too difficult – but a shift on fundamentals was not going to happen;

(iii) the Archbishop said it would help him very much if he were able to have a conversation with the Secretary of State and perhaps even with the Prime Minister on an entirely private basis both to report his own assessment of the mood and feeling in the Protestant community, the possible reaction of that community to any developments, and most particularly his concerns at Loyalist plans. As to the last, he said he had it on good authority that the Loyalists were close to achieving the capability to mount sizeable bombing attacks, and he did not doubt that the first targets would be Catholic West Belfast, and the centre of Dublin (he mentioned St Stephen's Green).

JAC

J A CHILCOT

26 OCTOBER 1993