Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993)

This project models the series of formal and informal negotiations which led to the publication, in December 1993, of a declaration issued jointly by the British and Irish Governments. The Joint Declaration was a critical policy document which paved the way for a ceasefire and the entry of Sinn Féin into formal talks. It also laid out a shared set of principles – including, crucially, self-determination for the people of Ireland subject to the consent of the people of Northern Ireland – which would come to underpin the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and provide a framework for its ratification.

Butler-Nally Meetings

This committee has been created to model meetings of the Butler/Nally Group, which was one of the key structures in the drafting of the Declaration. From Autumn 1993 onwards, Chilcot and Ó hUiginn were also part of the negotiating team working on the Joint Declaration.

To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.

Session 17791: 1993-07-14 12:00:00

[Exact time unknown] The negotiating team met over lunch to discuss JD6. The British delegation made it clear they were unable to negotiate on the document, but provided a detailed commentary on their objections. The teams discussed principles to be included in the Joint Declaration. They agreed on some of these, but found self-determination to be the sticking point for the British delegation. It was tentatively agreed that the British objections would be conveyed to Sinn Féin and a further meeting would be held some time in late July/early August.

Membership (at session start):

Robin Butler, John Chilcot, Dermot Nally, Seán Ó hUiginn (4 total)

Representing 2 delegations:

British Government , Irish Government


Imported Documents

Imported Amendments

Exported Documents

Exported Amendments

Resources (2):

Resource Collections (0):

None

Resource Items (2):


Summary of events in this session:

Individuals:

0 0 0 0

List of people joining the committee

List of people leaving the committee

List of people elected to a position

Documents:

0 0 0

List of proposals created

List of proposals amended

List of proposals copied

List of proposals imported

List of proposals to be voted on

List of proposals debated

Decisions:

List of proposals adopted

List of proposals rejected

List of proposals dropped

List of proposals referred

List of postpone debate voted on

List of other proposals voted on

Procedure:

List of procedural motion

List of motions debated

Events (54)

Previous

session

Next

session

Icon key

Person joining a committee

Person leaving a committee

Person elected to a position

A new document introduced

An amendment proposed

A document introduced from another committee

A revision of another document begun

Amendment imported from another committee

Proposal Debated

Drop a proposal

Refer a proposal

Adopt a proposal

Other vote (continue debate)

Reject a proposal

Postpone debate on a proposal

Procedural motion introduced

Procedural Motion Debated

Procedural motion with sub-decisions