Joint Communique

  • Country/entity
    Ireland
    United Kingdom
    Northern Ireland
  • Region
    Europe and Eurasia
    Europe and Eurasia
    Europe and Eurasia
  • Agreement name
    Joint Communique
  • Date
    28 Nov 1995
  • Agreement status
    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement
    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level
    Interstate/intrastate conflict(s) ( Northern Ireland Conflict (1968 - 1998) )
  • Stage
    Pre-negotiation/process
  • Conflict nature
    Government/territory
  • Peace process
    Northern Ireland peace process
  • Parties
    British and Irish Governments
  • Third parties
    -
  • Description
    A Joint Communiqué by British and Irish Governments, outlined a "twin-track" process to make progress in parallel on the decommissioning issue and on all-party negotiations". The parties agree to invite all parties together for substantive negotiations aimed at a political settlement based on consent. It provides for establishing an international body to provide an independent assessment of the decommissioning issue.


Groups

  • Children/youth

    No specific mention.

  • Disabled persons

    No specific mention.

  • Elderly/age

    No specific mention.

  • Migrant workers

    No specific mention.

  • Racial/ethnic/national group

    No specific mention.

  • Religious groups

    No specific mention.

  • Indigenous people

    No specific mention.

  • Other groups

    No specific mention.

  • Refugees/displaced persons

    No specific mention.

  • Social class

    No specific mention.


Gender

  • Women, girls and gender

    No specific mention.

  • Men and boys

    No specific mention.

  • LGBTI

    No specific mention.

  • Family

    No specific mention.


State definition

  • Nature of state (general)

    No specific mention.

  • State configuration

    No specific mention.

  • Self determination

    No specific mention.

  • Referendum

    No specific mention.

  • State symbols

    No specific mention.

  • Independence/secession

    No specific mention.

  • Accession/unification

    No specific mention.

  • Border delimitation

    No specific mention.

  • Cross-border provision

    No specific mention.


Governance

  • Political institutions (new or reformed)

    No specific mention.

  • Elections

    No specific mention.

  • Electoral commission

    No specific mention.

  • Political parties reform

    No specific mention.

  • Civil society

    No specific mention.

  • Traditional/religious leaders

    No specific mention.

  • Public administration

    No specific mention.

  • Constitution

    No specific mention.


Power sharing

  • Political power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Territorial power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Economic power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Military power sharing

    No specific mention.


Human rights and equality

  • Human rights/RoL general

    No specific mention.

  • Bill of rights/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Treaty incorporation

    No specific mention.

  • Civil and political rights

    No specific mention.

  • Socio-economic rights

    No specific mention.


Rights related issues

  • Citizenship

    No specific mention.

  • Democracy
    Page 1, 3.
    ...These matters would include how best the structure and format of all-party negotiations, involving in appropriate strands both governments and all the relevant Northern Ireland parties, directed to addressing in a comprehensive manner all the relevant relationships in an interlocking three-stranded process, can properly take account of democratic mandates and principles, including whether and how an elected body could play a part...
  • Detention procedures

    No specific mention.

  • Media and communication

    No specific mention.

  • Mobility/access

    No specific mention.

  • Protection measures

    No specific mention.

  • Other

    No specific mention.


Rights institutions

  • NHRI

    No specific mention.

  • Regional or international human rights institutions

    No specific mention.


Justice sector reform

  • Criminal justice and emergency law

    No specific mention.

  • State of emergency provisions

    No specific mention.

  • Judiciary and courts

    No specific mention.

  • Prisons and detention

    No specific mention.

  • Traditional Laws

    No specific mention.


Socio-economic reconstruction

  • Development or socio-economic reconstruction

    No specific mention.

  • National economic plan

    No specific mention.

  • Natural resources

    No specific mention.

  • International funds

    No specific mention.

  • Business

    No specific mention.

  • Taxation

    No specific mention.

  • Banks

    No specific mention.


Land, property and environment

  • Land reform/rights

    No specific mention.

  • Pastoralist/nomadism rights

    No specific mention.

  • Cultural heritage

    No specific mention.

  • Environment

    No specific mention.

  • Water or riparian rights or access

    No specific mention.


Security sector

  • Security Guarantees

    No specific mention.

  • Ceasefire

    No specific mention.

  • Police

    No specific mention.

  • Armed forces

    No specific mention.

  • DDR
    Security sector→DDR→Demilitarisation provisions
    Page 1, 5.
    In parallel, the two governments have agreed to establish an international body to provide an independent assessment of the decommissioning issue.

    Page 2, 6.
    Recognising the widely expressed desire to see all arms removed from Irish politics, the two governments will ask the international body to report on the arrangements necessary for the removal from the political equation of arms silenced by the virtue of the welcome decisions taken last summer and autumn by those organisations that previously supported the use of arms for political purposes.

    Page 2, 7.
    In particular, the two governments will ask the body to:
    • Identify and advise on a suitable and acceptable method for full and verifiable decommissioning; and
    • Report whether there is a clear commitment on the part of those in possession of such arms to work constructively to achieve that.

    Page 2, 8.
    It will be for the international body to determine its own procedures. The two governments expect it to consult widely, to invite relevant parties to submit their analysis of matters relevant to the decommissioning issue and, in reaching its conclusions within its remit, to consider such evidence on its merits.

    Page 2, 9.
    In establishing the body, the British and Irish governments reaffirm their willingness to continue to take responsive measures, advised by their respective security authorities, as the threat reduces.

    Page 2, 10.
    The two governments have invited Senator George Mitchell to chair the body, and will invite two other eminent persons to serve as the other members of the body.

    Page 2, 11.
    The two governments have asked the body to submit its report to the two governments by mid-January 1996. Neither government, nor any other party cooperating with the work of the body, is bound in advance to accept its recommendations, which will be advisory. The two governments will consider carefully any recommendations it makes and give them due weight on their merits.
  • Intelligence services

    No specific mention.

  • Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces

    No specific mention.

  • Withdrawal of foreign forces

    No specific mention.

  • Corruption

    No specific mention.

  • Crime/organised crime

    No specific mention.

  • Drugs

    No specific mention.

  • Terrorism

    No specific mention.


Transitional justice

  • Transitional justice general

    No specific mention.

  • Amnesty/pardon

    No specific mention.

  • Courts

    No specific mention.

  • Mechanism

    No specific mention.

  • Prisoner release

    No specific mention.

  • Vetting

    No specific mention.

  • Victims

    No specific mention.

  • Missing persons

    No specific mention.

  • Reparations

    No specific mention.

  • Reconciliation

    No specific mention.


Implementation

  • UN signatory

    No specific mention.

  • Other international signatory

    No specific mention.

  • Referendum for agreement

    No specific mention.

  • International mission/force/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Enforcement mechanism

    No specific mention.

  • Related cases

    No specific mention.

  • Source
    CAIN Web Service
    https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/events/peace/docs/com281195.htm

British and Irish Governments.

Joint Communiqué, 28 November 1995

Twin-track process to make parallel progress on decomissioning and all-party negotiations

1. The Prime Minister and the Taoiseach met tonight.

After intensive efforts by both governments, and with the benefit of consultations with parties in Northern Ireland, the two governments have agreed to launch a "twin-track" process to make progress in parallel on the decommissioning issue and on all-party negotiations.

2. Both governments reaffirmed their commitment to securing the early launch of all-party negotiations.

By way of the twin tracks, the two governments have the firm aim of achieving this by the end of February 1996.

It is the two governments' considered view that, with cooperation from all the relevant parties in both tracks, that objective should prove achievable.

Both governments commit themselves to working, with others, to achieve it.

3. To this end, the two governments have agreed to invite the parties to intensive preparatory talks with a remit to reach widespread agreement on the basis, participation, structure, format and agenda to bring all parties together for substantive negotiations aimed at a political settlement based on consent.

These talks will have an open agenda, allowing any party to raise any relevant matters.

These matters would include how best the structure and format of all-party negotiations, involving in appropriate strands both governments and all the relevant Northern Ireland parties, directed to addressing in a comprehensive manner all the relevant relationships in an interlocking three-stranded process, can properly take account of democratic mandates and principles, including whether and how an elected body could play a part.

These preparatory talks may also extend to all steps required to establish the necessary circumstances to bring the parties together at the negotiating table in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Downing Street declaration.

4. In managing the process of preparatory talks, each government will build on existing exchanges and bilateral contacts, treating each party on an equal basis;

they will encourage other formats for meetings with the parties and among the parties, including meetings between the two governments together and one or more parties, with their agreement, where these might further the objective of the preparatory talks.

5. In parallel, the two governments have agreed to establish an international body to provide an independent assessment of the decommissioning issue.

6. Recognising the widely expressed desire to see all arms removed from Irish politics, the two governments will ask the international body to report on the arrangements necessary for the removal from the political equation of arms silenced by the virtue of the welcome decisions taken last summer and autumn by those organisations that previously supported the use of arms for political purposes.

7. In particular, the two governments will ask the body to:

Identify and advise on a suitable and acceptable method for full and verifiable decommissioning;

and  Report whether there is a clear commitment on the part of those in possession of such arms to work constructively to achieve that.

8. It will be for the international body to determine its own procedures.

The two governments expect it to consult widely, to invite relevant parties to submit their analysis of matters relevant to the decommissioning issue and, in reaching its conclusions within its remit, to consider such evidence on its merits.

9. In establishing the body, the British and Irish governments reaffirm their willingness to continue to take responsive measures, advised by their respective security authorities, as the threat reduces.

10. The two governments have invited Senator George Mitchell to chair the body, and will invite two other eminent persons to serve as the other members of the body.

11. The two governments have asked the body to submit its report to the two governments by mid-January 1996.

Neither government, nor any other party cooperating with the work of the body, is bound in advance to accept its recommendations, which will be advisory.

The two governments will consider carefully any recommendations it makes and give them due weight on their merits.

12. To that end, and to review progress in preparatory talks for all-party negotiations, the two governments plan to meet again by mid-February 1996.