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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:British Government
  4. Thursday, 25 November 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

This committee has been created to model internal British Government documents and meetings.

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Session 21821: 1993-11-25 12:00:01

[Exact time unknown] The British Government received Molyneaux's comments on the alternative British draft of the Joint Declaration and the draft was updated to reflect them. The letter from John Major to Albert Reynolds and the speaking note for Roderic Lyne were also updated.

Membership (at session start):

Michael Ancram, Kenneth Baker, Tony Beeton, David Blatherwick, John Blelloch, Ian Burns, Robin Butler, John Chilcot, Ken Clarke, David Cooke, Jim Daniell, Timothy Daunt, John Deverell, David Fell, William Fittall, David Gillmore, Christopher Glyn-Jones, Richard Gozney, Michael Howard, 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, Malcolm Rifkind , A W Stephens, Jonathan Stephens, Quentin Thomas, Stephen Wall (37 total)

Representing 1 delegations:

British Government

Imported Documents

Imported Amendments

Exported Documents

  • Joint Declaration: Alternative British Draft (e1071252)
  • Letter from John Major to Albert Reynolds (25 November 1993) (e1071871)

Exported Amendments

Resources (10):

Resource Collections (0):

None

Resource Items (10):

Enclosure: Alternative British Draft of the Joint Declaration - (file)

The alternative British draft of the Joint Declaration from 25 November 1993. This had been rejected by the Taoiseach but was provided as a useful source of British phraseology.

Enclosure: Alternative British Draft of the Joint Declaration (23 November 1993 Draft with Molyneaux's Amendments) - (file)

A copy of the alternative British draft of the Joint Declaration. Text as finalised on 23 November 1993. Seems to be the copy shown to Molyneaux as his amendments to it have been written on in pencil.

Enclosure: Alternative British Draft of the Joint Declaration as Revised on 25 November 1993 - (file)

Possibly enclosed with the above(?) A 25 November 1993 draft of the alternative British draft. Clean copy.

Enclosure: Letter from John Major to Albert Reynolds to be Delivered by Robin Butler - (file)

Major sets the context for this British draft Joint Declaration by outlining the events of the past week. These include the Hume/Adams statement and the exposure of the existence of Irish-British talk, which prompted a backlash from the Unionists. He fears that unless the Declaration is now significantly altered, the Unionists will assume it is heavily influenced by Hume and Adams and therefore Republican leaning. Butler is tasked with explaining this new draft.

Enclosure: Letter from Roderic Lyne to Melanie Leech Regarding John Major's Letter to Albert Reynolds (Further Enclosed) - (file)

Robin Butler will deliver the enclosed letter to Albert Reynolds during his visit to Dublin on the 26 November 1993. Consequently, Butler's speaking notes are requested to be edited acknowledging the new draft text.

Enclosure: Speaking Note for a Meeting between Robin Butler and Albert Reynolds to Introduce the Alternative British Draft of the Joint Declaration - (file)

This paper proposes a Joint Declaration that is distinct from previous drafts in order to separate it from the negative associations and failures of these.

Letter from Roderic Lyne to Melanie Leech Amending Robin Butler's Speaking Notes for His Visit to Dublin - (file)

An adjustment to Robin Butler's speaking notes for the handover meeting of the alternative British draft, designed to bring them in line with the new 25 November 1993 version of the text.

Record of a Meeting between Patrick Mayhew and Jim Molyneaux on 25 November 1993 - (file)

The meeting was attended by Patrick Mayhew, James Molyneaux, Michael Ancram and Jonathan Stephens and its purpose was to show Molyneaux the alternative British draft. He agreed to give silent acquiesence to it subject to some minor changes and suggested it be shown to Paisley before release. The letter goes on to list those changes, including the removal of the Irish convention. It also makes a couple of amendments to his 23 November 1993 Speaking Note for Robin Butler.

Record of a Meeting between Patrick Mayhew and Jim Molyneaux on [25] November 1993 - (file)

Jim Molyneaux reviewed the British text of a possible summit communique and statement on constitutional issues. He agreed to give "silent acquiescence" to the text with some minor cosmetic changes. Jonathan Stephens here encloses the alterations.

Speaking Note for Robin Butler's Meeting with Albert Reynolds - (file)

A speaking note introducing the alternative British draft of the Joint Declaration. Explaining that it seems the current draft would not be acceptable to Unionists, especially since the 25 September 1993 Hume/Adams comments and the difficulty of detaching the Joint Declaration from Hume/Adams. The leak of the Framework Agreement Irish draft is also cited. Goes through the Communiqué and the Annex and explains the crossover with JD14.

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