Statement by Seamus Mallon on the issue of decommissioning, 30 September 1996 | Quill

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Writing Peace: David Trimble Collection

Statement by Seamus Mallon on the issue of decommissioning, 30 September 1996

Monday, 30 September 1996

In a statement on 30 September 1996, Seamus Mallon MP of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) criticized the lack of progress in the political talks at Stormont, attributing the delay to the obstructive stance of the three unionist parties. Mallon argued that the unionists' focus on the decommissioning issue, which was initially a tactical measure from London, has become a significant roadblock to substantive negotiations. He emphasized that decommissioning should be seen as a political issue rather than a security measure and should be addressed through inclusive negotiations, as outlined in the Mitchell report. Mallon called for unionist leaders to engage sincerely in the political process and to differentiate between imposed decommissioning by security forces and voluntary disarmament resulting from political progress. He urged the two Governments to assess the unionist leadership's commitment to the Mitchell report and to act in the broader public interest if unionist leaders continue to hinder the peace process. Mallon concluded by appealing to unionist leaders to abandon unrealistic preconditions and to participate in inclusive negotiations to achieve lasting peace.

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Writing Peace: David Trimble Collection

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