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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:Irish Government
  4. Session: 1993-07-14 12:00:01
  5. Event type: CREATE_FROM

Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993)

WORK IN PROGRESS - This project is still under development. It models a 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.

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Document introduced in:

Session 17797: 1993-07-14 12:00:01

[Exact time unknown] The Irish delegation received the documents circulated during the Butler/Nally lunchtime meeting. Dermot Nally reported back on the meeting and passed on the suggestion that Martin Mansergh convey the gist of the British commentary to his interlocutor.

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Principles for Inclusion in a Joint Declaration

There is 1 proposed amendment related to this document on which a decision has not been taken.

– the British government had repeatedly said that no political objective, peacefully advocated, need be excluded from political debate after cessation of violence;

– the British government pledge in Article 1(c) to legislate for unity if the people of Northern Ireland so wished still stood and could be restated;

– the British government had made clear they would look at a range of responses afresh following an end to violence – not only politically but also as regards security and material welfare areas.

– Irish unity would only happen with the consent of the people of Northern Ireland.

– the British Government would not join the persuaders for unity.

– the objective, which both Governments would support, would be inter-Irish agreement without a specified goal as to the nature of that agreement.

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