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

British Government detailed record of multi-party meetings on 28 October 1996

Tuesday, 29 October 1996

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This document details the meeting on 28 October 1996 discussing the Business Committee role in decommissioning and the run up to party statements on the process. The Irish and British Governments, the UUP, the Alliance Party, the Northern Ireland Womens’ Coalition, the UDP, and the SDLP discussed when to share views. The Chairman, Senator George J. Mitchell, reconciled the offers so positions were to be shared in the following two days. To question positions, the Business Committee was suggested as a source of guidance. The DUP had withdrawn its motion to disband the body and most agreed it had a future. The Womens’ Coalition set out its view on decommissioning in the meeting, establishing it had to be voluntary and attracting Sinn Fein into democratic politics was preferable to continued use of force. Surrendering arms, however, had complex implications and the South African example showed the need for political will. The record also includes the SDLP view on the positive potential of decommissioning alongside concern that it must derive from political processes. It opposed blocking Sinn Fein from the Talks process and accepted the Mitchell report as the key to future work. In the meeting, Gary McMichael of the UDP claimed their submission from 1995 was still valid and disarmament should take place. He did, however, highlight differences in Loyalist and Republican terrorism as in his view the latter was the true threat to the democratic process. He asked for specification on conditions for Sinn Fein to enter the Talks.

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

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