Joint Declaration 1993 (Downing St. Declaration)
MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNMENT
This Joint Declaration is a charter for peace and reconciliation in
Ireland. Peace is a very simple, but also a very powerful idea,
whose time has come. The Joint Declaration provides from everyone's
point of view a noble means of establishing the first step towards
lasting peace with justice in Ireland. The central idea behind the
Peace Declaration is that the problems of Northern Ireland, however
deep and intractable, however difficult to reconcile, have to be
resolved exclusively by political and democratic means. Its
objective is to heal the divisions among the people of Ireland. The
Declaration makes it clear that it is for the people of Ireland,
North and South, to achieve agreement without outside impediment.
The British Government have also declared that they will encourage,
enable and facilitate such agreement, and that they will endorse
whatever agreement emerges and take the necessary steps to
implement it. The language of the Declaration quite clearly makes
both Governments persuaders for agreement between the people of
Ireland. The dynamic for future progress must reside in the full
use of the democratic political process, in the underlying changes
in Irish society, North and South, and in our external environment.
Peace is the first essential for better relationships on this
island. The Joint Declaration is only the first stage in the Peace
Process. There will never be a better opportunity. Peace will allow
us to develop a new atmosphere of trust and co-operation and to
establish a new era of dŽtente, which is the only way forward.
JOINT DECLARATION
1. The Taoiseach, Mr. Albert Reynolds, TD, and the Prime
Minister, the Rt. Hon. John Major, MP, acknowledge that the most
urgent and important issue facing the people of Ireland, North and
South, and the British and Irish Governments together, is to remove
the causes of conflict, to overcome the legacy of history and to
heal the divisions which have resulted, recognising that the
absence of a lasting and satisfactory settlement of relationships
between the peoples of both islands has contributed to continuing
tragedy and suffering. They believe that the development of an
agreed framework for peace, which has been discussed between them
since early last year, and which is based on a number of key
principles articulated by the two Governments over the past 20
years, together with the adaptation of other widely accepted
principles, provides the starting point of a peace process designed
to culminate in a political settlement.
2. The Taoiseach and the Prime Minister are convinced of the
inestimable value to both their peoples, and particularly for the
next generation, of healing divisions in Ireland and of ending a
conflict which has been so manifestly to the detriment of all. Both
recognise that the ending of divisions can come about only through
the agreement and co-operation of the people, North and South,
representing both traditions in Ireland. They therefore make a
solemn commitment to promote co-operation at all levels on the
basis of the fundamental principles, undertakings, obligations
under international agreements, to which they have jointly
committed themselves, and the guarantees which each Government has
given and now reaffirms, including Northern Ireland's statutory
constitutional guarantee. It is their aim to foster agreement and
reconciliation, leading to a new political framework founded on
consent and encompassing arrangements within Northern Ireland, for
the whole island, and between these islands.
3. They also consider that the development of Europe will,
of itself, require new approaches to serve interests common to both
parts of the island of Ireland, and to Ireland and the United
Kingdom as partners in the European Union.
4. The Prime Minister, on behalf of the British Government,
reaffirms that they will uphold the democratic wish of a greater
number of the people of Northern Ireland on the issue of whether
they prefer to support the Union or a sovereign united Ireland. On
this basis, he reiterates, on behalf of the British Government,
that they have no selfish strategic or economic interest in
Northern Ireland. Their primary interest is to see peace, stability
and reconciliation established by agreement among all the people
who inhabit the island, and they will work together with the Irish
Government to achieve such an agreement, which will embrace the
totality of relationships. The role of the British Government will
be to encourage, facilitate and enable the achievement of such
agreement over a period through a process of dialogue and
co-operation based on full respect for the rights and identities of
both traditions in Ireland. They accept that such agreement may, as
of right, take the form of agreed structures for the island as a
whole, including a united Ireland achieved by peaceful means on the
following basis. The British Government agree that it is for the
people of the island of Ireland alone, by agreement between the two
parts respectively, to exercise their right of self-determination
on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, North and
South, to bring about a united Ireland, if that is their wish. They
reaffirm as a binding obligation that they will, for their part,
introduce the necessary legislation to give effect to this, or
equally to any measure of agreement on future relationships in
Ireland which the people living in Ireland may themselves freely so
determine without external impediment. They believe that the people
of Britain would wish, in friendship to all sides, to enable the
people of Ireland to reach agreement on how they may live together
in harmony and in partnership, with respect for their diverse
traditions, and with full recognition of the special links and the
unique relationship which exist between the peoples of Britain and
Ireland.
5. The Taoiseach, on behalf of the Irish Government,
considers that the lessons of Irish history, and especially of
Northern Ireland, show that stability and well-being will not be
found under any political system which is refused allegiance or
rejected on grounds of identity by a significant minority of those
governed by it. For this reason, it would be wrong to attempt to
impose a united Ireland, in the absence of the freely given consent
of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland. He accepts, on
behalf of the Irish Government, that the democratic right of
self-determination by the people of Ireland as a whole must be
achieved and exercised with and subject to the agreement and
consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland and must,
consistent with justice and equity, respect the democratic dignity
and the civil rights and religious liberties of both communities,
including:
- the right of free political thought;
- the right of freedom and expression of religion;
- the right to pursue democratically national and political aspirations;
- the right to seek constitutional change by peaceful and legitimate means;
- the right to live wherever one chooses without hindrance;
- the right to equal opportunity in all social and economic activity, regardless of class, creed, sex or colour.
These would be reflected in any future political and constitutional
arrangements emerging from a new and more broadly based
agreement.
6. The Taoiseach however recognises the genuine difficulties
and barriers to building relationships of trust either within or
beyond Northern Ireland, from which both traditions suffer. He will
work to create a new era of trust, in which suspicion of the
motives or actions of others is removed on the part of either
community. He considers that the future of the island depends on
the nature of the relationship between the two main traditions that
inhabit it. Every effort must be made to build a new sense of trust
between those communities. In recognition of the fears of the
Unionist community and as a token of his willingness to make a
personal contribution to the building up of that necessary trust,
the Taoiseach will examine with his colleagues any elements in the
democratic life and organisation of the Irish State that can be
represented to the Irish Government in the course of political
dialogue as a real and substantial threat to their way of life and
ethos, or that can be represented as not being fully consistent
with a modern democratic and pluralist society, and undertakes to
examine any possible ways of removing such obstacles. Such an
examination would of course have due regard to the desire to
preserve those inherited values that are largely shared throughout
the island or that belong to the cultural and historical roots of
the people of this island in all their diversity. The Taoiseach
hopes that over time a meeting of hearts and minds will develop,
which will bring all the people of Ireland together, and will work
towards that objective, but he pledges in the meantime that as a
result of the efforts that will be made to build mutual confidence
no Northern Unionist should ever have to fear in future that this
ideal will be pursued either by threat or coercion.
7. Both Governments accept that Irish unity would he
achieved only by those who favour this outcome persuading those who
do not, peacefully and without coercion or violence, and that, if
in the future a majority of the people of Northern Ireland are so
persuaded, both Governments will support and give legislative
effect to their wish. But, notwithstanding the solemn affirmation
by both Governments in the Anglo-Irish Agreement that any change in
the status of Northern Ireland would only come about with the
consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland, the
Taoiseach also recognises the continuing uncertainties and
misgivings which dominate so much of Northern Unionist attitudes
towards the rest of Ireland. He believes that we stand at a stage
of our history when the genuine feelings of all traditions in the
North must be recognised and acknowledged. He appeals to both
traditions at this time to grasp the opportunity for a fresh start
and a new beginning, which could hold such promise for all our
lives and the generations to come. He asks the people of Northern
Ireland to look on the people of the Republic as friends, who share
their grief and shame over all the suffering of the last quarter of
a century, and who want to develop the best possible relationship
with them, a relationship in which trust and new understanding can
flourish and grow. The Taoiseach also acknowledges the presence in
the Constitution of the Republic of elements which are deeply
resented by Northern Unionists, but which at the same time reflect
hopes and ideals which lie deep in the hearts of many Irish men and
women North and South. But as we move towards a new era of
understanding in which new relationships of trust may grow and
bring peace to the island of Ireland, the Taoiseach believes that
the time has come to consider together how best the hopes and
identities of all can be expressed in more balanced ways, which no
longer engender division and the lack of trust to which he has
referred. He confirms that, in the event of an overall settlement,
the Irish Government will, as part of a balanced constitutional
accommodation, put forward and support proposals for change in the
Irish Constitution which would fully reflect the principle of
consent in Northern Ireland.
8. The Taoiseach recognises the need to engage in dialogue
which would address with honesty and integrity the fears of all
traditions. But that dialogue, both within the North and between
the people and their representatives of both parts of Ireland, must
be entered into with an acknowledgement that the future security
and welfare of the people of the island will depend on an open,
frank and balanced approach to all the problems which for too long
have caused division.
9. The British and Irish Governments will seek, along with
the Northern Ireland constitutional parties through a process of
political dialogue, to create institutions and structures which,
while respecting the diversity of the people of Ireland, would
enable them to work together in all areas of common interest. This
will help over a period to build the trust necessary to end past
divisions, leading to an agreed and peaceful future. Such
structures would, of course, include institutional recognition of
the special links that exist between the peoples of Britain and
Ireland as part of the totality of relationships, while taking
account of newly forged links with the rest of Europe.
10. The British and Irish Governments reiterate that the
achievement of peace must involve a permanent end to the use of, or
support for, paramilitary violence. They confirm that, in these
circumstances, democratically mandated parties which establish a
commitment to exclusively peaceful methods and which have shown
that they abide by the democratic process, are free to participate
fully in democratic politics and to join in dialogue in due course
between the Governments and the political parties on the way
ahead.
11. The Irish Government would make their own arrangements
within their jurisdiction to enable democratic parties to consult
together and share in dialogue about the political future. The
Taoiseach's intention is that these arrangements could include the
establishment, in consultation with other parties, of a Forum for
Peace and Reconciliation to make recommendations on ways in which
agreement and trust between both traditions in Ireland can be
promoted and established.
12. The Taoiseach and the Prime Minister are determined to
build on the fervent wish of both their peoples to see old fears
and animosities replaced by a climate of peace. They believe the
framework they have set out offers the people of Ireland, North and
South, whatever their tradition, the basis to agree that from now
on their differences can be negotiated and resolved exclusively by
peaceful political means. They appeal to all concerned to grasp the
opportunity for a new departure. That step would compromise no
position or principle, nor prejudice the future for either
community. On the contrary, it would be an incomparable gain for
all. It would break decisively the cycle of violence and the
intolerable suffering it entails for the people of these islands,
particularly for both communities in Northern Ireland. It would
allow the process of economic and social co-operation on the island
to realise its full potential for prosperity and mutual
understanding. It would transform the prospects for building on the
progress already made in the Talks process, involving the two
Governments and the constitutional parties in Northern Ireland. The
Taoiseach and the Prime Minister believe that these arrangements
offer an opportunity to lay the foundations for a more peaceful and
harmonious future, devoid of the violence and bitter divisions
which have scarred the past generation. They commit themselves and
their Governments to continue to work together, unremittingly,
towards that objective.
