Record of an opening plenary meeting on 27 January 1997 at 12.10 (OIC/PS60)

This is the draft summary record of an opening plenary session on Monday 27 January 1997 at 12.10. The Chairman invited general comment from parties and signalled his intent to return to the issue of decommissioning afterwards. Each party began their interventions by condemning the recent PIRA attack on Nigel Dodds and expressing their symapthy for him, his family, and his party. It was also clear that no agreement had been reached on decommissioning, and that the attempts to resolve the issue had stagnated. The British Government and Alliance seemed to be tentatively in favour of the Chairmen producing a paper against the background of continued bilaterals. Alliance highlighted the Loyalist paramilitary reaction to the attack on Nigel Dodds and suggested a general debate on the position of the associated parties. The DUP considered this to be outside the business of plenary. The UKUP discussed the possibility of making an indictment under rule 29 and the British Government was asked to share information on the incidents. The NIWC stressed that at least the opening agenda needed to be completed before any recess for an election campaign was held. The PUP condemned the Loyalist violence. The SDLP stressed that if agreement could be reached on the three strands this would undermine the need for violence. The UDP agreed with the NIWC. The DUP was concerned that the British Government was determined to involve Sinn Féin in talks. The UKUP thought they should be finding ways to promote social and commerical cooperation rather than creating new political institutions and gave a negative assessment of the peace process to date, especially the Hume/Adams talks. The UUP also stressed the impossibility of Sinn Féin's invovement without a demonstrable commitment to peace.

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Opening Plenary Meetings 1997-01-27 12:10

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Writing Peace: George J. Mitchell Collection

Record of an opening plenary meeting on 27 January 1997 at 12.10 (OIC/PS60)

Thursday, 30 January 1997

Writing Peace: George J. Mitchell Collection