- Downing Street Declaration
-
The Downing Street Declaration was a joint declaration issued on 15 December 1993 by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, John Major, and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, Albert Reynolds at the British Prime Minister office in 10 Downing Street. It affirmed both the right of the people of Ireland to self-determination, and that Northern Ireland would be transferred to the Republic of Ireland from the United Kingdom if and only if a majority of its population was in favour of such a move. It included, as part of the prospective of the so called Irish dimension, the principle that the people of the island of Ireland, North and South had the exclusive right to solve the issues between North and South by mutual consent.[1][2] The latter statement, which later would become one of the points of the Good Friday Agreement,[3] was key to produce a positive change of attitude by the republicans towards a negotiated settlement. The joint declaration also pledged the governments to seek a peaceful constitutional settlement, and promised that parties linked with paramilitaries (such as Sinn Féin) could take part in the talks, so long as they abandoned violence.[4]
The declaration, after a meeting between Gerry Adams and American congressman Bruce Morrison, which was followed by a joint statement issued by Adams and John Hume, was considered sufficient by the Provisional Irish Republican Army to announce a ceasefire on 31 August 1994[5] which was then followed on 13 October by an announcement of a ceasefire from the Combined Loyalist Military Command.[6]
Notes
- ^ Peatling, Gary (2004). The failure of the Northern Ireland peace process. Irish Academic Press, p. 58. ISBN 0716533367
- ^ Cox, Michael, Guelke, Adrian and Stephen, Fiona (2006). A farewell to arms?: beyond the Good Friday Agreement. Manchester University Press, p. 486. ISBN 0719071151
- ^ Clark, Desmond and Jones, Charles (1999). The rights of nations: nations and nationalism in a changing world. Palgrave Macmillan, p. 168. ISBN 0312225954
- ^ Cox & Guelke, pp. 487-488
- ^ Rowan, Brian (1995). Behind the lines: the story of the IRA and Loyalist ceasefires . Blackstaff Press, Chapter 8. ISBN 0856405647
- ^ CAIN- Chronology of the Conflict 1994
External links
- Photos & Recordings of the Inaugural Meeting of the College Historical Society held on the Downing Street Declaration, reuniting Sir John Major, Sir Roderic Lyne and Martin Mansergh in November 2007.
- Downing Street Declaration. Department of Foreign Affairs. Ireland.
- House of Commons Hansard Debates for December 15, 1993. The Prime Minister speaks to the House of Commons about the Downing Street/Joint Declaration.
- Conflict Archive Internet. Research guide from University of Ulster (N. Ireland) on the "Troubles."
The Troubles History of Ireland · History of Northern Ireland · History of the United Kingdom · Irish nationalism · Irish republicanism · Irish unionism · Ulster loyalism Participants in the Troubles Chronology Political Parties Republican
paramilitariesSecurity forces of the United Kingdom
Loyalist
paramilitaries• Ulster Defence Association
• Ulster Volunteer Force
• Loyalist Volunteer Force
• Red Hand Commandos
• Young Citizen Volunteers
• Ulster Young Militants
• Ulster Resistance
• UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade
Linked to
• Some RUC and British Army members• Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association formed (1967)
• Battle of the Bogside (1969)
• Riots across Northern Ireland (1969)
• Beginning of Operation Banner (1969)
• Social Democratic and Labour Party formed (1970)
• Internment without trial begins with Operation Demetrius (1971)
• Bloody Sunday by British Army (1972)
• Northern Ireland government dissolved. Direct rule from London begins (1972)
• Bloody Friday by Provisional IRA (1972)
• Power sharing Northern Ireland Assembly set up with SDLP and Ulster Unionist Party in power (1973)
• Mountjoy Prison helicopter escape. Three Provisional IRA prisoners escape from Mountjoy Prison by helicopter (1973)
• Ulster Workers' Council strike causes power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly to end (1974)
• Dublin and Monaghan bombings by UVF with alleged British Army assistance (1974)
• Kingsmill massacre by South Armagh Republican Action Force (1976)
• Warrenpoint Ambush by Provisional IRA (1979)
• 1981 Irish hunger strike by Provisional IRA and INLA members (1981)
• Hunger striker Bobby Sands elected MP. Marks turning point as Sinn Féin begins to move towards electoral politics (1981)
• Maze Prison escape. 38 Provisional IRA prisoners escape from H-Block 7 of HM Prison Maze (1983)
• Brighton hotel bombing by Provisional IRA (1984)
• Anglo-Irish Agreement between British and Irish governments (1985)
• Remembrance Day bombing by Provisional IRA (1987)
• Peace Process begins (1988)
• Operation Flavius, Milltown Cemetery attack and Corporals killings (1988)
• Bishopsgate bombing (1993)
• Downing Street Declaration (1993)
• First Provisional IRA ceasefire (1994)
• Loyalist ceasefire (1994)
• Docklands bombing (1996)
• 1996 Manchester bombing (1996)
• Second Provisional IRA ceasefire (1997)
• Good Friday Agreement (1998) signals the end of the Troubles
• Assembly elections held, with SDLP and UUP winning most seats (1998)
• Omagh bombing by dissident Real IRA (1998)• Unionist parties:
• Democratic Unionist Party
• Northern Ireland Unionist Party
• Ulster Unionist Party
• Progressive Unionist Party
• Conservative Party
• UK Unionist Party
• Traditional Unionist Voice
• Nationalist parties:
• Democratic Left
• Fianna Fáil
• Fine Gael
• Labour Party
• Progressive Democrats
• Sinn Féin
• Social Democratic & Labour Party
• Workers' Party of Ireland
• Irish Republican Socialist Party
• Republican Sinn Féin
• Cross-community parties:
• Alliance Party
• Historically important parties:
• Nationalist Party
• Northern Ireland Labour Party
• Protestant Unionist Party
• Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party
• Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
• People's Democracy
• Republican Labour Party
• Anti H-Block
• Irish Independence Party
The Troubles at Wiktionary · 
The Troubles at Wikibooks · 
The Troubles at Wikiquote · 
The Troubles at Wikisource · 
The Troubles at Commons · 
The Troubles at WikinewsSteps in the Northern Ireland peace process Sunningdale Agreement (1973) • Anglo-Irish Agreement (1985) • Downing Street Declaration (1993) • Establishment of the IICD (1997) • Good Friday Agreement (1998) • Amendment of Articles 2 and 3 (1999) • Establishment of the Independent Monitoring Commission (2003) • IRA Ceasefire & Decommissioning (2005) • St Andrews Agreement (2006) • Hillsborough Castle Agreement (2010)
John Major Government Premiership of John Major • Major Ministry • Gulf War • Citizen's Charter • Cones Hotline • Black Wednesday • Maastricht Treaty • Downing Street Declaration • Child Support Agency • Vote of confidence • Back to Basics • Privatisation of British Rail • Cash for Questions • Wirral South by-election • Resignation Honours
Politics Conservative Party • Huntingdon • Shadow Cabinet
General elections Party elections Family Norma Major (wife) • Terry Major-Ball (brother) • Tom Major-Ball (father)
Wikimedia Categories:- Politics of Northern Ireland
- History of Northern Ireland
- Ireland–United Kingdom relations
- 1993 in the United Kingdom
- 1993 in Northern Ireland
- 1993 in Ireland
- 1993 in international relations
- Northern Ireland peace process
- United Kingdom politics stubs
- Republic of Ireland politics stubs
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