Proposals from Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, among others, for consideration by the special meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council:
The Ulster Unionist Council notes the recent report to the party executive by the review group, established after the last meeting of the council, that there has been no progress on the actual decommissioning of illegal terrorist weapons and that the IRA have failed to fully engage with the Independent Commission.
The council further notes that the IRA, UVF and UDA have all recently been involved in significant acts of violence and in particular that there is evidence of IRA involvement in a number of murders and in gun-running from Florida. Given the failure of the terrorist organisations, including IRA/Sinn Fein, to honour their obligations under the Mitchell Principles and the Belfast Agreement, the council agrees on the following course of action:
1. Immediate withdrawal of all Ulster Unionist Ministers from the North-South Ministerial Council.
2. A moratorium on Patten until the outstanding problems have been satisfactorily resolved. Consequently, the UUP will press the government to suspend passage of the Police Bill through parliament.
3. If by the 30 November 2000, IRA/Sinn Fein have failed to begin the actual decommissioning of their illegal weapons, involving the hand over or destruction of hundreds of illegal firearms and substantial quantities of explosives, and agreed a timetable for complete disarmament, then the UUP will immediately table a motion in the Assembly to have the two Sinn Fein Ministers excluded from the Executive. In the event that the exclusion motion fails, then all the Ulster Unionist Ministers will withdraw from the Executive forthwith. Such withdrawal will be completed prior to the Assembly's Christmas recess.
4. The party will press for a review of the implementation of the agreement that will include the issues of disarmament and policing.
5. The Ulster Unionist Ministers will not return to the Executive until the government have implemented changes to the Police Bill that "encourage widespread community support". This should include the retention of the proud name and insignia and the full operational capability of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
6. The UUP will also require that IRA/Sinn Fein agree a timetable for complete disarmament and make a credible and verifiable start to actual decommissioning of their illegal weapons, involving the hand over or destruction of hundreds of illegal firearms and substantial quantities of explosives. The Ulster Unionist Ministers will not return to an Executive that includes two Sinn Fein Ministers until such action has occurred. In the event that IRA/Sinn Fein fail to meet these obligations, then the UUP will seek to form a new administration with the other democratic parties on a cross-community basis.
7. During the period of suspension of the Executive, the Assembly and its committees should continue to have a role with regard to the policy and administration of the Northern Ireland departments and be consulted with regard to relevant Northern Ireland legislation.
8. The review group appointed by the leader after the last council meeting is authorised by the UUC to act on their behalf as "guarantors" to monitor the proposed course of action. In the event that a default occurs in respect of any part of this course of action, then the review group is also authorised to immediately reconvene the Ulster Unionist Council to take appropriate remedial action.
The signatories to the motion are: Lord Molyneaux; the Rev Martin Smyth, Mr William Ross, Mr William Thompson, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, Mr Roy Beggs (all MPs) and two senior party officers, Mr Jim Rodgers and Ms Arlene Foster.