DRAFT SUMMARY RECORD OF OPENING PLENARY SESSION - TUESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 1996 (10.08)
Those present:
Independent Chairmen
Senator Mitchell
General de Chastelain
Mr Holkeri
Government Teams
British Government
Irish Government
Parties
Alliance Party
Labour
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Progressive Unionist Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Ulster Democratic Party
Ulster Democratic Unionist Party
United Kingdom Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
1. _The Chairman_ convened the meeting at 10.08 and reminded participants of the contents of Rule 28. He asked that each party should undertake to act within this rule; namely to ensure that only elected delegates were represented at the front table and could speak in debates.
2 . _The Chairman_ then reflected on what procedures had been agreed following the allegations raised by the DUP against the PUP/UDP and confirmed that the business before the Plenary this morning would focus on that specific issue. He also confirmed that a written response had been received from the PUP/UDP the previous evening, but this unfortunately had not been circulated in time to catch other participants before their departure. He understood that DUP delegates had just arrived at 9.30am and were therefore seeking more time to consider the PUP/UDP response.
3. _The Chairman_ stated that he would grant additional time but before doing so wished to propose the following format for the debate. The DUP would begin with their response to the PUP/UDP paper which would last 30 minutes. The PUP/UDP would then also have 30 minutes in which to present further points in response to the DUP. Following this exchange\, _the Chairman_ proposed a further period of time to be set aside for other participants to question\, through the chair\, the three principal political parties involved in the issue\, before moving on to a general discussion. _The Chairman_ proposed that the entire process should have a duration of three hours with the proviso that those who\, by the completion of that time\, hadn't had the opportunity to speak\, could still do so using additional time.
4. _The Chairman_ then indicated that he had spoken briefly to the DUP who had sought an additional 60 minutes to review the PUP/UDP response. The Chairman sought participants' views on this and the proposal to continue uninterrupted with a three hour debate when the session reconvened. _The PUP_ indicated their agreement with this approach. There were no comments from the remaining participants. Following this _the Chairman_ adjourned the meeting at 10.14\, asking participants to return at 11.15 and go through until 14.15.
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Independent Chairmen Notetakers
10 September 1996
OIC/PS7
