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These papers were digitized by Dr Shelley Deane, Annabel Harris, Isha Pareek, Antoine Yenk, Ruth Murray and Eleanor Williams. We are very grateful to the library and archives staff at Bowdoin College for all their kindness and help in assembling this material, particularly Kat Stefko and Anne Sauer.
[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"DRAFT RECORD OF OPENING PLENARY SESSION - WEDNESDAY 12 JUNE 1996 (00.32)"},{"insert":"\n\nThose present:\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Independent Chairmen"},{"insert":"\n\nSenator Mitchell\nGeneral de Chastelain\nMr Holkeri\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Government Teams"},{"insert":"\n\nBritish Government\nIrish Government\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Parties"},{"insert":"\n\nAlliance Party\nLabour Party\nNorthern Ireland Women's Coalition\nProgressive Unionist Party\nSocial Democratic and Labour Party\nUlster Democratic Party\nUlster Democratic Unionist Party\nUnited Kingdom Unionist Party\nUlster Unionist Party\n\n\n1.\t\tAt 00.32 hours Senator Mitchell and his two colleageus took their seats in the main Conference Room. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The DUP"},{"insert":" raised strong objections to this situation and stated that no opportunity had been afforded to the party to agree the appointment of Senator Mitchell as Chairman of the Plenary. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The DUP"},{"insert":" said that it was for all participants to agree all issues under discussion and that no matters, including the appointment of Chairmen, should be imposed by the two Governments. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The DUP"},{"insert":" stated that the Secretary of State and his officials had deliberately avoided visiting their rooms to let the party know about an impending Plenary Session. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The DUP"},{"insert":" restated the point that the ultimate say in the appointment of any Chairmen belonged to the participants and therefore the party strongly objected to Sentator Mitchell being put into the Chair without any opportunity to voice an opinion. With those comments the DUP delegation departed from the Conference Room at 00.36 hours. The UKUP delegation also left the Conference Room at this time.\n\n2.\tThe "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" then read from a prepared text. Following the conclusion of his introductory remarks he indicated to delegates that he now wished to move forward to the point whereby all participants were to make a formal declaration making clear their total and absolute commitment to the International Body's principles of democracy and non-violence. The "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" stated that he intended to read the Principles aloud and then ask both Governments and all participants to affirm their commitment to them. The following participants then affirmed their commitment to the Mitchell Principles in the manner outlined in the Report of the International Body:-\n\n(a)\tThe British Government.\n\n(b)\tThe Irish Government.\n\n(c)\tThe Alliance Party;\n\n(d)\tThe Labour Party;\n\n(e)\tThe NI Women's Coalition;\n\n(f)\tThe Progressive Unionist Party;\n\n(g)\tThe Social Democratic and Labour Party;;\n\n(h)\tThe Ulster Democratic Party;\n\n(i)\tThere was no response from the Ulster Democratic Unionist Party;\n\n(j)\tThere was no response from the United Kingdom Unionist Party;\n\n(k)\tThe Ulster Unionist Party\n\n3.\t"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The UUP"},{"insert":" expressed regret that both Govenrments had not yet put the legal steps in place to support commitment of the Principles even though it had made representations to the Irish on this point in early March.\n\n4.\tThe "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" deleted the names of the parties who did not respond but directed that the press be told that this deletion did not reflect a refusal on their part to sign up to the Principles - merely their absence from the proceedings.\n\n5.\tThe "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" requested the participants to return at 11.00 am later that morning to resume the informal discussion on procedural rules and the agenda for the remainder of the Opening Plenary session. The "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" then proposed an adjournment of the Plenary Session until noon on 19 June 1996. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The SDLP"},{"insert":" referred to the fact that some delegations might have to travel long distances and asked that the restart time be extended to 13.00. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The UUP"},{"insert":" said that although it had sympathies with the SDLP's point, its preference would be for discussions to commence at 11.00 am. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The SDLP"},{"insert":" withdrew its proposal.\n\n6.\tThe "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" then indicated that while it might appear that there was a calendar week available, in practice, official duties for some elsewhere would reduce the time for informal discussion considerably. The "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" considered it might be appropriate, to enable better progress to be made, for the numbers in delegations to be reduced. The "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" said that with limited time available delegates should be prepared to devote as much time as possible so that work on both rules and agenda could be completed by 19 June. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"The UUP"},{"insert":" then referred to the temporary absence of two of the parties. The "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" agreed that these parties could return for the purposes of the informal discussions on rules and agenda. The "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" stated that both parties would have to give the same commitment to the Principles of non-violence and democracy and make the affirmation already made by all the other delegations in the appropriate manner.\n\n7.\tThe "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" then read out the text of a prepared press statement. There were no objections to the text.\n\n8.\tFinally, the "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Alliance Party"},{"insert":" enquired from the British Government whether the meeting of the Forum scheduled for that Friday was still on. The "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"British Government"},{"insert":" confirmed that it was. The "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Chairman"},{"insert":" thanked the participants for attending and adjourned the Plenary Session until 12.00 noon on 19 June 1996.\n\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Independent Chairmen Notetakers"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"13 June 1996"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"OIC/PS2"},{"insert":"\n"}]
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Grouping Name
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Folder 02: Final Report, 22 January 1996
1605
11996
Folder 34: [Meetings, 16 December 1995–19 January 1996]
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471995 - 1996
Mitchell Principles
^
Folders 01-03: Record of Informal Discussions on Rules of Procedure and Opening Agenda, 12 June 1996 to 2 July 1996
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08
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Folders 01-02: Minutes from Strand Two Meetings, 10 July 1997 to 24 March 1998 [Parts 2 and 3 of 3]
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Tab A
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Folder 01: Press Statements by the Independent Chairmen, 6 June 1996 to 30 October 1997
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Multi-Party Talks, 1996–1998
^
Folders 04-06: Minutes from Opening Plenary Sessions, 12 June 1996 to 30 October 1996
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09
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Folders 03-05: Strand Two Documents
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Tab B
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Folder 13: Relation of the Forum to the Talks, 1996
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Folder 03: [Draft Versions of the Final Report]
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Folder 07: Record of Informal Discussions on Rules of Procedure and Opening Agenda, 3 July 1996 to 25 July 1996
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03
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Tab C
358
81997 - 1997
Folders 06-07: Minutes of Plenary Meetings, Review Plenary Meetings, and Cross-Strand Meetings
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Folders 14-16: Pre-Multi Party Talks Background Documents
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Folders 08-10: Minutes from Opening Plenary Sessions, 3 June 1997 to 24 September 1997
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Tab D
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Folders 08-10: Final Agreement Documents, 30 March to 10 April (Volume 1)
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Folders 17-18: Liaison Subcommittee on Decommissioning – Documents and Minutes
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Folders 11-13: Minutes from Opening Plenary Sessions, 30 October 1996 to 5 March 1997
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Tab E
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Folder 11: Final Agreement Documents, 30 March to 10 April (Volume 2)
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Folders 19-22: Liaison Subcommittee for Confidence Building Measures – Submissions and Minutes
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Folder 14: Decommissioning Proposals and Miscellaneous Documents, May 1997 to July 1997
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358
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Folders 23-24: Documents and Associated Items from Fall 1996 to Winter 1997 Opening Plenary Debates
This is the draft summary record of an opening plenary session on Wednesday 12 June 1996 at 00.32. The Independent Chairmen took their seats, to strong objections from the DUP and the UKUP, who then walked out. The Chairman asked all participants to affirm their commitment to the Mitchell principles. This was done by everyone present. A press statement was agreed.
The Quill Project has received one-time, non-exclusive use of the papers in this collection from Bowdoin College Library to make them available online as part of Writing Peace.
This document was created by Irish and British Government civil servants in the course of their duties and therefore falls under Crown Copyright and Irish Government Copyright. Both Governments are committed to the European Communities (Re-Use of Public Sector Information) Regulations.
Subseries 2 (M202.7.2) Commission Documents (1995-1998), Series 7 (M202.7) Northern Ireland Records (1995-2008), George J. Mitchell Papers, George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine, digitized by the Quill Project at https://quillproject.net/resource_collections/125.
