1. The Northern Ireland (Entry to Negotiations, etc) Act 1996 provided for a Forum constituted by delegates elected in the elections under the same Act. The purpose of the Forum is for 'the discussion of issues relevant to promoting dialogue and understanding within Northern Ireland' ...

2. The Forum is deliberative only, without any legislative, executive or administrative functions ... It has no power to determine the conduct, course or outcome of the negotiations also provided for in the Act, but it does have powers to act upon any reference to it that may be formally instigated and made by agreement among the negotiating teams in the Negotiations ...

3. I am empowered under paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 2 of the Act to decide the time of the first meeting of the Forum. This will be at 2.00 pm on Friday 14 June at the Interpoint Centre ...

4. Subsequent meetings of the Forum will be at times determined by its members, but it shall not meet at any time notified by me to the chairman as being a time when, in my opinion, it would not be appropriate for the Forum to meet because negotiations are intended to take place; but this provision may not prevent the holding of a meeting for more than four consecutive weeks ...

5. I have provided premises for the Forum at the Interpoint Centre, York Street, Belfast and staffing to support its business, as provided for in paragraph 6, Schedule 2.

6. A written or oral statement made by a member of the Forum in or for the purposes of the Forum (or any committee it may establish) will be privileged from action for defamation unless it is proved to have been made with malice ...

7. The proceedings of the Forum (and of any committee it may establish) shall be conducted in accordance with rules of procedure determined by at least 75% of the members voting and approved" —

procedure approved —

"by me. Such rules are to include provision for a quorum ... Until rules of procedure have been determined and approved as above, proceedings are to be conducted in accordance with rules determined by me and notified by me to the chairman ... I hereby notify to you the initial rules of procedure (as provided by that power). In doing so I have had the benefit of consultation with the nominating representatives of each party.

8. In preparing these initial rules I have had regard to the requirement of paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 2 ... that, in doing so, I should make every effort to ensure that the Forum's rules of procedure facilitate the promotion of dialogue, understanding and consensus across the communities of Northern Ireland. I am similarly required when exercising powers of approval to the Forum's substantive rules of procedure, and will seek to discharge that requirement fully. Accordingly it may be that a substantial part of its business will consist of hearing, debating and reporting on issues submitted to it by outside bodies upon invitation.

9. In that way I believe the Forum can and will be a force for reconciliation and healing in a society which has suffered grievously on all sides from the consequences of discord, and that it can also provide a constructive support for the concurrent negotiations towards a political accommodation commanding the consent of all sections of the people of Northern Ireland."