- Monday, 11 October 1993, at 12:00
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.
British Government
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Session 21688: 1993-10-11 12:00:00
[Exact time unknown] Tony Beeton submitted a draft of a background brief on the Joint Declaration initiative. He also submitted a copy of a draft on the historical background of the Joint Declaration, although David Cooke had decided not to include this alongside a proposed minute and a list of key considerations about the joint declaration in a briefing package for a meeting on 14th October 1993.
Membership (at session start):
Michael Ancram, Kenneth Baker, Tony Beeton, David Blatherwick, John Blelloch, Ian Burns, Robin Butler, John Chilcot, David Cooke, Jim Daniell, Timothy Daunt, John Deverell, William Fittall, David Gillmore, Christopher Glyn-Jones, Richard Gozney, Douglas Hurd, Roderic Lyne, John Major, Jonathan Margetts, Peter May, Patrick Mayhew, John McConnell, David McIlroy , Danny McNeill, R. O. Miles, Anthony Pawson, Christopher Prentice , Stephen Rickard, A W Stephens, Jonathan Stephens, Quentin Thomas, Stephen Wall (33 total)
Representing 1 delegations:
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Resource Items (7):
Enclosure: Annex A - Draft Key Considerations for the Joint Declaration - (file)
This document summarizes David Cooke's assessment of where things stood with regards to the Joint Declaration initiative. It discusses the reception of the Declaration among different audiences, and notes the tension and speculation that followed the Hume/Adams statement of 25 September 1993. Cooke also discussed the latest amendments in the draft text which referred to the British Government's commitment to constitutional guarantee for Northern Ireland. The issue of securing Jim Molyneaux's support was also set out. Cooke noted that he believed that the an explicit reference to the constitutional guarantee was a political imperative for the British Government. This document differs slightly from another document of the same name enclosed by Patrick Mayhew and sent to Prime Minister John Major. Parts of the document have been annotated, and some sentences have been crossed out.
Enclosure: Annex D – Background on the Joint Declaration Initiative - (file)
This document provides a background for the Joint Declaration initiative, designed for Prime Minister John Major's in case he wanted to widen the circle of ministers who were aware of the initiative. The document describes important features of the Declaration and outlines those features which were of most advantage for the British Government. It also contains two sections on self-determination and constitutional guarantee, both of which were pressing issues which were causing difficulties in the progress. The document contains some annotations; a duplicate without the annotations was sent to Jonathan Stephens on the 14 October 1993.
Enclosure: Annotated Draft of a Brief History of the Joint Declaration Initiative - (file)
Details the history of the notion of a joint declaration. Dates it to have formally been conceived in a meeting between John Major and then Taoiseach Charles Haughey on 4 December 1991, but that the ground had been prepared by John Hume's intermittent discussions with Gerry Adams from 1988 onwards so that by November 1991 the idea was well and truly on its way. It then goes on to trace the specific talks and drafts that were passed back and forth, particularly through the channel of Dermot Nally on the Irish side and Robin Butler on the British. It tracts each draft across 1992 and into 1993 and the meetings that followed them, focusing on the grievances from each party that thwarted each draft, By the time of writing, the latest draft was JD12. This draft includes several annotations, including syntax and grammatical alterations. However, the version sent by Tony Beeton to Andrew Stephen on the 14 October 1993 does not incorporate the pencil corrections seen here.
Enclosure: Minute from David Cooke to John Major Regarding the Joint Declaration Initiative - (file)
This minute, prepared by David Cooke for Prime Minister John Major, outlines points of discussion for a meeting that was going to take place on 14 March 1993. Cooke discussed the aspirations of the Irish Government and John Hume, hoping that the Joint Declaration would persuade PIRA to cease its campaign of violence. He also delved into the progress made by the Butler/Nally group, the Taoiseach's assurances regarding the initiative, discussions regarding an explicit reference to Northern Ireland's constitutional guarantee, and Cooke's communication with Jim Molyneaux.
Memo from David Cooke to Jonathan Stephens Enclosing a Draft Minute for a Meeting on the 14 October 1993 - (file)
This memo, sent to Jonathan Stephens by David Cooke, contains two attached enclosures - a draft minute of the upcoming meeting on 14 October 1993, and a summary of the key considerations in Joint Declaration talks.
Memo from Tony Beeton to David Cooke Regarding a Briefing on the History of the Joint Declaration Initiative Dated 11 October 1993 - (file)
This memo, sent by Tony Beeton to David Cooke, encloses a draft document on a brief history of the Joint Declaration. Beeton also took note of the importance of crafting a public line in case of leaks, especially because he felt that minsters would find it difficult to claim in public that they had had no engagement with PIRA.
Memo from Tony Beeton to Jonathan Stephens Enclosing a Background on the Joint Declaration Dated 11 October 1993 - (file)
This memo, sent by Tony Beeton to Jonathan Stephens, encloses a background paper that sets out the key elements of the Joint Declaration and the British Government's strategy for it.
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