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  1. Overview: Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993)
  2. Full Record: Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993)
  3. Committee:Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings
  4. Wednesday, 20 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.

Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings

This committee has been created to model meetings between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach.

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Session 21722: 1993-10-20 12:00:01

[Exact time unknown] Robin Butler met Albert Reynolds and Dick Spring to hand over a letter from John Major outlining his decision not to proceed with JD12. The tone of the meeting was apparently cordial, but the Taoiseach was deeply disappointed by this decision.

Membership (at session start):

John Major, Albert Reynolds (2 total)

Representing 2 delegations:

British Government , Irish Government

Imported Documents

Imported Amendments

Exported Documents

  • Joint Declaration: JD12 (e1070543)
  • Letter from John Major to Albert Reynolds Outlining His Decision Not to Proceed with JD12 (e1070445)

Exported Amendments

Resources (3):

Resource Collections (0):

None

Resource Items (3):

Enclosure: Speaking Note for Robin Butler's Meeting with Albert Reynolds on 20 October 1993 - (file)

Robin Butler was to convey the message from John Major that JD12 would not work, and that the whole initiative was not seen by the British government as a viable option at this point. This conclusion was to be justified with reference to the hostile climate created by knowledge of the Hume/Adams dialogue, and a predicted upsurge in Loyalist terrorism were the British government to go ahead with a Declaration in green language. It also specifically makes the inclusion of the constitutional guarantee in the crucial paragraph 4 a breaking point.

Record of a Meeting between Robin Butler and Albert Reynolds on 20 October 1993 - (file)

This is Robin Butler's personal recollection of a meeting between himself and the Taoiseach where he explains the British opposition to making a joint declaration at that moment, on the basis of likely Unionist displeasure. The Irish side expressed disappointment. They claimed that this was a historic and fleeting opportunity to make peace, especially given their disagreement with the British intelligence report that the PIRA were generally war weary. As a result of this impasse, Butler places priority on the public presentation of the 'failure' of the JDI, and is anxious to set up further cooperative opportunities to stop the irish government from playing a blame game.

Record of a Meeting between Robin Butler, Albert Reynolds and Dick Spring to Discuss the Joint Declaration on 20 October 1993 - (file)

Meeting reflects difference of opinion between British and Irish about possibility for peace through the Joint Declaration. British stance was that the risk of a Loyalist backlash was too great, given the suspicion following the Hume/Adams talks.

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