- Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30
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 31009: 1993-12-13 09:30:00
[Exact time unknown] Robin Butler and Dermot Nally spoke over the phone to resolve outstanding issues in the Joint Declaration text. They were able to settle a number of the issues still pending in Brussels, including the opening of paragraph 4 and some wording in the penultimate parargaph. Nally proposed the specific text of the 'Magee list' to the British government for the first time, and Butler indicated their provisional acceptance of it. Two key issues were whether to delete or substitute the word 'assist' in paragraph 4, and the question of the inclusion or deletion of the Irish Convention, to be renamed in either case the 'Forum for Peace and Reconciliation'.
Membership (at session start):
Robin Butler, John Chilcot, Dermot Nally, Seán Ó hUiginn (4 total)
Representing 2 delegations:
British Government , Irish Government
Imported Documents
- Joint Declaration: JD15 (e1316883) imports from Informal British-Irish Bilaterals,
on Saturday, 11 December 1993, at 12:00 - New Final Paragraph: "Non-Paper" (e1339640) imports from Informal British-Irish Bilaterals,
on Saturday, 11 December 1993, at 12:00 - Note on the Likelihood of Success of the Joint Declaration (e1343715) imports from Irish Government,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:00
Imported Amendments
- Insert the Names of the Principals (e1316908) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - British Government Amendment to Alternative Reaffirmation of Constitutional Guarantee in 2(3) (e1316884) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - First John Hume Amendment to British Government Amendment to Alternative Reaffirmation of Constitutional Guarantee in 2(3) (e1316886) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Second Alternative John Hume Amendment to British Government Amendment to Alternative Reaffirmation of Constitutional Guarantee in 2(3) (e1316887) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - British Government Amendment to 4(1) (e1316888) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Irish Government Redraft of British Government Amendment to 4(1) (e1316890) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Molyneaux's Deletion of 'assist' from 4 (e1316891) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Irish Substitution of 'help' for 'assist' (e1316909) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Deletion of 'as of right' (e1316902) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Insertion of 'properly' (e1316903) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Insertion of 'legitimately' (e1316904) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Insertion of 'without further impediment' (e1316905) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - British Government Deletion from 4(5/6) (e1316892) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6) (e1316893) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6) (e1316894) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - British Government Amendment to 4(7/8) (e1316895) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Notice of Inclusion of the Magee List (e1316897) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - British Government Amendment to Strike Out Paragraphs 10 and 11 (e1316906) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - British Government Amendment to 12(4) (e1316896) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5) (e1316907) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - New Final Paragraph (e1316898) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - First Irish Government Correction of Transmission Error (e1316899) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - British Government Amendment to 13(2) (e1316900) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Second Irish Government Correction of Transmission Error (e1316901) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Inclusion of the Magee List (e1316922) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - British Government Amendment to Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5) (e1339636) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30 - Irish Government Amendment to 'Non-Paper' Final Paragraph (e1343632) imports from Butler-Nally Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 09:30
Exported Documents
- Agreement on Legal Status of Joint Declaration (e1339607)
- Imported by 'Agreement on Legal Status of Joint Declaration' (e1343878) in Irish Government,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00
- Imported by 'Agreement on Legal Status of Joint Declaration' (e1343878) in Irish Government,
- Joint Declaration: JD15 (e1316883)
- Imported by 'Joint Declaration: JD15' (e1343992) in Irish Government,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Joint Declaration: JD15' (e1344012) in British Government,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Joint Declaration: JD15' (e1344233) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'Joint Declaration: JD15' (e1343992) in Irish Government,
Exported Amendments
- Molyneaux's Deletion of 'assist' from 4 (e1316891)
- Imported by 'Molyneaux's Deletion of 'assist' from 4' (e1343993) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Molyneaux's Deletion of 'assist' from 4' (e1344013) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Molyneaux's Deletion of 'assist' from 4' (e1344234) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'Molyneaux's Deletion of 'assist' from 4' (e1343993) in Irish Government,
on
- Irish Substitution of 'help' for 'assist' (e1316909)
- Imported by 'Irish Substitution of 'help' for 'assist' ' (e1343995) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Irish Substitution of 'help' for 'assist' ' (e1344014) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Irish Substitution of 'help' for 'assist' ' (e1344235) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'Irish Substitution of 'help' for 'assist' ' (e1343995) in Irish Government,
on
- Deletion of 'as of right' (e1316902)
- Imported by 'Deletion of 'as of right'' (e1343996) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Deletion of 'as of right'' (e1344016) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Deletion of 'as of right'' (e1344236) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'Deletion of 'as of right'' (e1343996) in Irish Government,
on
- British Government Deletion from 4(5/6) (e1316892)
- Imported by 'British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1343997) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1344017) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1344237) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1343997) in Irish Government,
on
- Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6) (e1316894)
- Imported by 'Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1343998) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1344019) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1344238) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1343998) in Irish Government,
on
- British Government Amendment to Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6) (e1339626)
- Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1343999) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1344021) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1344239) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Second Alternative Irish Government Amendment to British Government Deletion from 4(5/6)' (e1343999) in Irish Government,
on
- British Government Amendment to Strike Out Paragraphs 10 and 11 (e1316906)
- Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Strike Out Paragraphs 10 and 11' (e1344000) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Strike Out Paragraphs 10 and 11' (e1344022) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00
- Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Strike Out Paragraphs 10 and 11' (e1344000) in Irish Government,
on
- British Government Amendment to 12(4) (e1316896)
- Imported by 'British Government Amendment to 12(4)' (e1344001) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Amendment to 12(4)' (e1344024) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Amendment to 12(4)' (e1344240) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'British Government Amendment to 12(4)' (e1344001) in Irish Government,
on
- Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5) (e1316907)
- Imported by 'Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5)' (e1344002) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5)' (e1344032) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5)' (e1344242) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5)' (e1344002) in Irish Government,
on
- British Government Amendment to Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5) (e1339636)
- Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5)' (e1344003) in Irish Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5)' (e1344033) in British Government,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 10:00 - Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5)' (e1344243) in Prime Minister-Taoiseach Meetings,
on
Monday, 13 December 1993, at 12:30
- Imported by 'British Government Amendment to Further Irish Government Amendment to 12(5)' (e1344003) in Irish Government,
on
Resources (5):
Resource Collections (0):
None
Resource Items (5):
Draft Joint Declaration (JD15 with Amendments Made on 12 and 13 December 1993) - (file)
Photocopied draft Joint Declaration by Reynolds and Major, marked "J.D. 15", containing twelve paragraphs, with handwritten amendments, comments and notes by Nally. Some of the amendments (in blue) reflect Butler's comments on parts of the text on 13 December 1993 and another set (in black) are labelled "M/M (Phone) on 12/12/93".
Enclosure: Joint Declaration (Amended Copy of JD15) as Discussed between Butler and Nally on 13 December 1993 - (file)
JD15. Heavily annotated in pen
Joint Declaration: New Final Paragraph - (file)
Proposed new final paragraph for the Joint Declaration, with small amendments suggested by Robin Butler.
Note from Nally Regarding Conversation with Butler and Enclosing Magee List - (file)
Note by Nally recording a conversation with Butler and enclosing the Magee list. [Enclosed list seems to be in the form written by Magee, with an appeal to the Irish Government at the end.]
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Procedure:
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Events (84)
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