the Downing Street Declaration Dec. 1993

Question 1

John Hume

Answer 1

SDLP leader

Question 2

What was something no political party or government seem prepared to do in the 80s?

Answer 2

Talks with republicans

Question 3

Who started secret talks with republicans in the 80s?

Answer 3

John Hume

Question 4

Who did Hume hold talks with?

Answer 4

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams

Question 5

When were Hume and Adams’ secret talks?

Answer 5

Between January and August 1988

Question 6

When did the talks stay secret until?

Answer 6

April 1993

Question 7

Reactions to the Hume-Adams initiative

Answer 7

• unionist criticism
• some criticism from SDLP

Question 8

Who published “towards a lasting peace”

Answer 8

Sinn Féin

Question 9

What year was “towards a lasting peace” ☮️ published?

Answer 9

1992

Question 10

What did “ towards a lasting peace” reveal?

Answer 10

• reduction ⬇️ in Republican movements emphasis on armed struggle
• emphasis on politics
• idea of Irish self-determination

Question 11

What did “towards a lasting peace” argue?

Answer 11

• all nationalist parties needed to join together to achieve constitutional change in Ireland
• reduce unionist majority to minority

Question 12

What did “towards a lasting peace” argue would happen if there was a unionist minority?

Answer 12

Britain would realise it could not continue to prop up unionism

Question 13

Why would “towards a lasting peace”s statement on unionism not be wishful thinking?

Answer 13

NI SOS P Brooke, 1989
“PIRA ceasefire would = b gov react in “imaginative manner”

Question 14

What did SOS Brooke approve the establishment of with Republican leadership?

Answer 14

“Back channel discussions”

Question 15

What suggested new thinking was emerging?

Answer 15

Brooke stated that the “British government had no selfish strategic economic interest in remaining in NI… it is not the aspiration of a united Ireland, which we oppose, but the violence”

Question 16

What was the main stumbling block of Peter Brookes new political talks?

Answer 16

Unionist opposition to AI agreement

Question 17

What was temporarily suspended in 1990 to allow political talks to begin?

Answer 17

The intergovernmental conference

Question 18

What was happening in 1990 that allowed progress to happen in three strands?

Answer 18

1) intercommunity relations - unionist and nationalist communities NI
2) North – South relations – NI and RoI
3) east/west relations – Britain and Irish governments

Question 19

What did Hume and Adams do when they began political discussions in April 1993?

Answer 19

Issued a joint statement highlighted the intention of achieving self-determination for a Ireland

Question 20

What did the Hume-Adams discussions result in?

Answer 20

A draft document, within which Sinn Fein stated that it was “prepared to have knowledge the necessity of Unionist concerns with regard to NI future”

Question 21

How was the DSD an attempt to get Sinn Fein and the PIRA on the “peace bus”?

Answer 21

• DSD gave IRA what it wanted - challenged to talk and not use violence

Question 22

What were the USA attempts to get Sinn Fein and the PIRA on the “peace bus”? 🚎

Answer 22

• President Bill Clinton granted Gerry Adams a visa
• numerous conferences were organised that aimed at supporting the Peace process via economic investment.

Question 23

Irish govt. bad for peace bus? 🚎

Answer 23

Dec. 1994 - Reynolds is replaced as Taoiseach by John Bruton - who was in a Coalition Govt which shared no love for Irish Republicanism.

Question 24

Irish govt. good for peace bus? 🚎

Answer 24

• Sept. 1994 - One week after the ceasefire, Taoiseach Albert Reynolds shook hands with Adams & Hume outside Stormont
• Dec. 1994 - 9 PIRA inmates were released on licence