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Writing Peace: George J. Mitchell Collection

Record of informal discussion on procedural guidelines and agenda for plenary session on 1 July 1996 at 14.12

Tuesday, 02 July 1996

i24757

This document contains the summary record of the informal discussion on procedural guidelines and the agenda for the plenary session that took place on 1 July 1996. The meeting began with the Chairman suggesting an amendment to paragraph 10 to make it more consistent with the provisions in paragraph 13. The discussion on paragraph 15 began with remarks from Ian Paisely, who stated his objections to the involvement of the Irish Government in setting the agenda of Strand 1 through its involvement in the Opening Plenary. Paisley and Robert McCartney stated their apprehensions that the wording of the amendments tabled by the two Governments because it appeared to them that it would allow the Irish Government to put the question of the union on the negotiating table. Seamus Mallon indicated his disappointment with the changes in the draft rules of procedure and criticized the unionist conception of consent. Michael Ancram argued that the Governments' proposed amendment intended to reassure both the unionist parties and also the SDLP that issues would get a fair hearing and no party would be forced to negotiate. Bronagh Hinds argued that this was a time-wasting discussion, and noted that while no one could be forced to negotiate, negotiations were mandatory under the terms of the Northern Ireland Act. John Alderdice also argued that negotiations regarding the union don't necessarily imply negotiating it away, but it could also mean finding ways to make it better in the context of the European Union. The meeting adjourned at 16.00.

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