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Writing Peace: The National Archives of the UK (TNA)

Record of a meeting between Peter Westmacott and Nancy Soderberg on 19 July 1996

Friday, 19 July 1996

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This document details a meeting between Peter Westmacott, the British Diplomat in Washington, and Nancy Soderberg, US Deputy National Security Advisor that took place on 19 July 1996. Soderberg expressed concern regarding the state of the Belfast talks, and proposed that the British Government reach out to Sinn Féin. Westmacott argued that many efforts had already been made to accomodate Sinn Féin, and that the discovery of bomb factories and the recent paramilarity activity had eroded the British Government's willingness to make further overtures to Gerry Adams. They also discussed the need to 'reward' loyalists for their restraint, possibly with some action that would improve the condition of prisoners. Discussing the possible extradition of PIRA member Jimmy Smith from the US, Soderberg said that the Clinton administration was facing a lot of pressure from Irish Americans. Soderberg expressed concern that extraditing Smyth would damage the peace process, while Westmacott argued that the US could use Smyth's extradition to signal its condemnation of PIRA' s violence. Soderberg confirmed that PIRA would be designated as a terrorist organisation, and they discussed the pressures that the Clinton administration was facing regarding the inclusion of the MacBride language in the Foreign Relations Authorisation Act.

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