- Tuesday, 14 December 1993, at 18:00
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.
Informal British-Irish Bilaterals
This committee has been created to model bilateral contact between British and Irish government delegates which happened outside of the more formal structures set up for intergovernmental negotiation. These informal meetings were sometimes crucial to the development of the Joint Declaration.
To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.
Session 29166: 1993-12-14 18:00:00
[Exact time unknown] Final drafts of the declaration were exchanged.
Membership (at session start):
David Blatherwick, Robin Butler, David Cooke, John A Dew, Noel Dorr, Fergus Finlay, Douglas Hurd, Roderic Lyne, Martin Mansergh, Patrick Mayhew, Dermot Nally, Dick Spring, Quentin Thomas, Seán Ó hUiginn (14 total)
Representing 2 delegations:
British Government , Irish Government
No imported or exported documents
Resources (7):
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Resource Items (7):
Enclosure: Joint Declaration (JD19) – 14 December 1993 - (file)
This is the text as it stood prior to the actual making of the Declaration later at noon. Includes some highlighting.
Fax from Quentin Thomas to David Blatherwick Enclosing JD19, 14 December 1993 - (file)
Encloses what they hope is the final text of the Declaration. Requests that Blatherwick double checks it with Mansergh and the Irish side ahead of the 15 December 1993. Also points out the changes from JD. 15C.
Joint Declaration: Final Three Paragraphs – 14 December 1993 at 18.15 - (file)
Photocopied final three paragraphs of the Joint Declaration marked "6.15 14/12/93"
Joint Declaration: Final Three Paragraphs – 14 December 1993 at 18.30 - (file)
Photocopied final three pararaphs of the Joint Declaration as above but with an amendment in pen. Marked "6.30PM 14/12/93".
Joint Declaration: JD17 - (file)
Incomplete. Lightly annotated with possible amendments. Has the note 'The text at 16.00 – not yet finalised!' in the top right hand corner.
Joint Declaration: JD18 - (file)
Attached version JD 18 of the Joint Declaration - wording of paragraph 10 has yet to be settled and third sentence of paragraph 13
Joint Declaration: JD19 - (file)
The penultimate version of the Joint Declaration, numbered JD19. Agreed between the British and Irish governments some time in the evening on 14 December 1993, having missed a 15.00 deadline. Enclosed with a covering note from Quentin Thomas, who suggests that David Blatherwick go through the text and agree it with Martin Mansergh.
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