8 March 1996
CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
TRANSITION TO NEGOTIATIONS
IN their Communique of 28 February, the Prime Minister, and the Taoiseach agreed that ". . . an elective process would have to be broadly acceptable and lead immediately and without further preconditions to the convening of all party negotiations with a comprehensive agenda". They also agreed that these negotiations would be convened on Monday 10 June.
Procedural steps
2. The procedural steps which would be set out in statute to achieve the convening of all party negotiations on Monday 10 June following an election might be as follows:
. Following the election, the Secretary of State (subject to paragraph 7 of this paper) would invite leaders of those parties which achieved representation in the election to select negotiating teams within one week of the election.
. Each Government would also establish a negotiating team at the same time.
. On Monday 10 June, the overall three stranded negotiations would be launched at a plenary meeting involving the negotiating teams of all participants.
Composition of negotiating teams
3. Without prejudice to the form of election chosen, negotiating teams could be composed:
. entirely at the discretion of each party leader; or
. only from among each party's elected representatives; or
. from among each party's elected representatives, but with a provision for negotiating teams to include, or be assisted by, researchers.
4. If parties agree that all the strands of discussions each of which would have independent standing, should commence simultaneously and proceed in parallel, the negotiating teams will need to be large enough to facilitate a series of parallel discussions. In the case at least of those parties which secure only a small elected representation, this may point to allowing participation in negotiating teams to extend beyond elected representatives alone.
Size of negotiating teams
5. The size of negotiating teams could be:
. left to the discretion of each party leader;
. limited to a maximum overall number, perhaps at least six, to accommodate a series of parallel discussions;
. unlimited, but with a maximum limit (perhaps 3, plus 3 in support) on the size of teams fielded for any one meeting.
Basis of participation
6. As the Communique of 28 February explained, both Governments agree that ". . . negotiations should include all relevant parties which establish a commitment to exclusively peaceful methods and which have shown that they abide by the democratic process" and, accordingly, hope that all parties with an electoral mandate will be able to participate in all party negotiations.
7. However, as the Communique of 28 February also set out, "both Governments are agreed that the resumption of Ministerial dialogue with Sinn Fein, and their participation in negotiations, requires the restoration of the ceasefire of August 1994". Accordingly, if the ceasefire had not been unequivocally restored, no invitation would be issued to the leader of Sinn Fein to nominate a negotiating team after the election, nor would Sinn Fein participate in negotiations.