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

Telegram from David Blatherwick Regarding Dealings with the New Irish Government

Friday, 14 February 1992

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Provides a summary of David Blatherwick's dealings with the new Irish Government, including Foreign Minister David Andrews and Taoiseach Albert Reynolds. Blatherwick notes that he was unsure about their position on the issue of Northern Island and recommended that the British government clarify the same in their first meeting with them.

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RESTRICTED
FM DUBLIN
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 073.
OF 141354Z FEBRUARY 92

MIPT: NORTHERN IRELAND: DEALING WITH THE NEW IRISH GOVERNMENT

1. WHILE ANDREWS WAS AT PAINS TO STRESS AN OPEN-MINDED APPROACH TO NORTHERN IRELAND ISSUES AND A WISH FOR CONTINUITY, HE HAD LITTLE
MORE DEFINITE TO SAY. INDEED, NEITHER HE NOR THE NEW TAOISEACH NOR THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE HAS MUCH OF A TRACK RECORD. THE TAOISEACH
HAS GIVEN LITTLE AWAY IN PUBLIC, EXCEPT FOR EXPLICITLY RULING OUT SINN FEIN PARTICIPATION IN TALKS UNLESS PIRA GIVE UP THEIR CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE (MY TELNO 62). WHILE ANDREWS' RECORD (MY TELNO 65) IS THAT OF A MODERATE, HE MAY TAKE DISPROPORTIONATE INTEREST IN CIVIL RIGHTS/CONFIDENCE ISSUES. FLYNN IS A CONSERVATIVE AND A NATIONALIST.

2. EQUALLY IMPORTANT, THE NEW TEAM'S ONLY GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE OF NORTHERN IRELAND ISSUES HAS BEEN THROUGH REYNOLDS' AND FLYNN'S
PARTICIPATION IN HAUGHEY'S CABINET. THEY HAVE A CONSIDERABLE LEARNING CURVE AHEAD OF THEM, NOT ONLY ABOUT THE FACTS OF LIFE IN
NORTHERN IRELAND AND BRITISH POLICY THERE, BUT ABOUT HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH BRITISH MINISTERS. WE CAN EXPECT CAUTION AND SOME
SCEPTICISM ABOUT BRITISH MOTIVES AND POLICY. IT WILL BE IMPORTANT NOT TO TAKE FOR GRANTED THE KNOWLEDGE, CONFIDENCE AND TRUST BUILT
UP IN THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE WITH COLLINS AND BURKE, AND IN A DIFFERENT WAY WITH HAUGHEY. AN OBVIOUS KEY OBJECTIVE FOR THE FIRST MINISTERIAL CONTACTS WITH REYNOLDS' TEAM, BEGINNING WITH YOUR BILATERAL ON 18 FEBRUARY, WILL BE TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR A RELATIONSHIP OF CONFIDENCE.

3. MY RECOMMENDATION, THEREFORE, IS TO USE THE FIRST MEETINGS NOT SO MUCH TO MAKE SPECIFIC POINTS ON NORTHERN IRELAND, BUT TO GET
ACROSS THE FUNDAMENTALS:

(A) REASSURE THE IRISH OF BRITISH COMMITMENT TO THE ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT, TO WORKING WITH THE IRISH GOVERNMENT, AND TO THE IRISH QUESTION IN GENERAL (IE WE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY):

(B) STRESS HMG'S VIEW THAT SECURITY MEASURES, POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC/SOCIAL PROGRESS ARE COMPLEMENTARY:

(C) EMPHASISE THE FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF UNIONIST CONSENT. ANY PROPOSAL INVOLVING THE UNIONISTS MUST BE ACCEPTABLE TO THEM. THIS
IS NOT CAVING IN TO THE UNIONIST VETO, BUT RECOGNITION OF REALITY:

(D) GO BRIEFLY OVER THE POSITION REACHED ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT, AND HOPES FOR THE FUTURE:

(E) EXPLAIN FRANKLY OUR SECURITY PROBLEMS IN THE NORTH, AND OUR RELIANCE ON IRISH CO-OPERATION IN OUR MUTUAL INTEREST:

(F) KILL ANY RED HERRINGS OR MISCONCEPTIONS WHICH MAY SURFACE (EG ON SECURITY MEASURES IN THE NORTH, THE NELSON CASE, ACCOMPANIMENT
ETC).

BLATHERWICK

YYYY

DISRIBUTION 164

MAIN 111
. NORTHERN IRELAND
LIMITED
RID
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
INFO D
ECD(I)
NAD
NENAD
NEWS D
NTCD
PLANNERS

p MD
RAD
RMD
SCD
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR GAREL-JONES
PS/PUS
CHIEF CLERK
MR BROOMFIELD
MISS SPENCER
MR GREENSTOCK

ADDITIONAL 53
NORTHERN IRELAND

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