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

Update for John Major recording a meeting between Patrick Mayhew and unionist leaders on 8 July 1996

Wednesday, 07 August 1996

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This document contains an update, written for British Prime Minister John Major by John Holmes [Major's Private Secretary] on 8 July 1996, to inform him on the meeting that took place between Patrick Mayhew, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and Unionist leaders, surrounding the events at Drumcree. The Unionist leaders, including David Trimble [leader of the UUP], Ian Paisley [leader of the DUP], and Martin Smyth [UUP member and Grand Master of the Orange Order], complained about the behaviour of the RUC [Royal Ulster Constabulary]. They also said that they had been unable to convince the Portadown Orangemen to talk to the Garvaghy Road Residents Association, as they were being led by Brendan McKenna, whom they considered an ex-terrorist. Mayhew agreed to arrange a meeting between the Deputy RUC Chief Constable and the three Unionist leaders, who said that they would not attend the Belfast talks while the stand-off continued. Holmes also noted that immediately after this meeting, Trimble called Holmes to arrange a meeting with Prime Minister John Major. Mayhew indicated that he was against such a meeting, as there was nothing Major could say in the meeting which had not already been said, and that anything additional the Prime Minister had to say would just undermine Mayhew and the RUC. Holmes wrote that he thought that it would be unwise for Major to reject a meeting with the Unionist leaders, and recommended that he should see them for half an hour at 15.45.

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

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