Joint Statement by the British and Irish Governments (Friday evening statement)

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Country/entity: Ireland
United Kingdom
Northern Ireland
Region: Europe and Eurasia
Agreement name: Joint Statement by the British and Irish Governments (Friday evening statement)
Date: 5 May 2000
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Interstate/intrastate conflict(s)
Northern Ireland Conflict (1968 - 1998)
Commonly referred to as ‘the Troubles’, the most recent conflict over the territory of Northern Ireland can be framed as beginning in 1968 and ending with the Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement) in 1998. While the genesis of the conflict was closely related to pressures for the state to reform with relation to discrimination against the (minority) Catholic population, the core issue of the conflict as it proceeded was the constitutional status of Northern Ireland, which was contested between the unionist/loyalist (mostly Protestant) majority, who wanted the territory to remain as part of the United Kingdom, and the nationalist/republican (mostly Catholic) minority, whose goal was to unite the six provincial counties with the Republic of Ireland. The thirty years prior to the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement were marked by inter-communal violence, active paramilitary groups, and the deployment of the British army in the province. Mediation by international actors, and dialogue between the British and Irish governments, and between the IRA and its representatives and the British Government eventually resulted in a ceasefire respected by the majority of combatants. Talks led to the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement which established a power-sharing system of governance between nationalist and unionist communities.
Stage: Implementation/renegotiation
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Northern Ireland peace process
Parties: British and Irish Governments
Third parties: -
Description: This was one of a number of agreements signed between the 5th and 6th of May 2000 which were part of an agreed 'choreography' between the British and Irish governments and the Northern Irish parties in the talks process and the IRA, relating to a log-jam in the talks process relating to decommissioning. This Joint Statement issued by the British and Irish Governments to bring forward the implementation of the remaining aspects of the Good Friday agreement. In light of the success of implementing all other aspects of the agreement, the governments urge the paramilitary organisations to put their arms completely and verifiably beyond use. The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) will continue its task under the agreement and is urged to seek further proposals for the decommissioning schemes in consultation with representatives of the paramilitary organisations.

Agreement document: UK_IE_000505_Joint Statement (Friday Evening Statement).pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

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): Governance→Political institutions (new or reformed)→General references
Page 1, 4.
Subject to a positive response to this statement, the British government will bring forward the necessary order to enable the Assembly and Executive to be restored by May 22nd, 2000.
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: No specific mention.
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.
With confidence that there are clear proposals for implementing all other aspects of the agreement, the governments believe that paramilitary organisations must now, for their part, urgently state that they will put their arms completely and verifiably beyond use. Such statements would constitute a clear reduction in the threat. In response, the British government would, subject to its assessment of the level of threat at the time, on which it will continue to consult regularly with the Irish Government, take further substantial normalisation measures by June 2001.

Page 1, 6.
The IICD will continue its task under the agreement. The governments will now ask the IICD to consider urgently, in consultation with representatives of the paramilitary organisations, whether there are any further proposals for decommissioning schemes which offer the commission greater scope to proceed in more effective and satisfactory ways with the discharge of its basic mandate, and to report. The governments will give early consideration to any such proposals. The commission will make further reports as necessary. Those reports will be published promptly.

Page 1, 7.
Progress to full implementation of all aspects of the agreement will be periodically assessed by the two governments, in consultation with the Northern Ireland parties.
If difficulties arise in the implementation of the agreement [for example, the IICD reports that it does not believe that arms will be put beyond use, or the institutions are not operating in good faith as envisaged in the agreement], the two governments will, in consultation with the Assembly and the Executive, carry out an immediate formal review under the terms of the agreement.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: Page 1, 5.
With confidence that there are clear proposals for implementing all other aspects of the agreement, the governments believe that paramilitary organisations must now, for their part, urgently state that they will put their arms completely and verifiably beyond use. Such statements would constitute a clear reduction in the threat. In response, the British government would, subject to its assessment of the level of threat at the time, on which it will continue to consult regularly with the Irish Government, take further substantial normalisation measures by June 2001.

Page 1, 6.
The IICD will continue its task under the agreement. The governments will now ask the IICD to consider urgently, in consultation with representatives of the paramilitary organisations, whether there are any further proposals for decommissioning schemes which offer the commission greater scope to proceed in more effective and satisfactory ways with the discharge of its basic mandate, and to report. The governments will give early consideration to any such proposals. The commission will make further reports as necessary. Those reports will be published promptly.
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: Page 1, 7.
...If difficulties arise in the implementation of the agreement [for example, the IICD reports that it does not believe that arms will be put beyond use, or the institutions are not operating in good faith as envisaged in the agreement], the two governments will, in consultation with the Assembly and the Executive, carry out an immediate formal review under the terms of the agreement.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: CAIN Web Service
https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/events/peace/docs/bi050500.htm

Joint Statement issued by the British and Irish Governments on (the evening of) Friday 5 May 2000

1. In recent weeks, the two governments have taken stock of progress in implementing the Good Friday agreement.

2. Much progress has already been made but there has been disagreement over how and when remaining aspects of the agreement should be achieved.

3. The governments now believe that the remaining steps necessary to secure full implementation of the agreement can be achieved by June 2001, and commit themselves to that goal.

They have drawn up, and are communicating to the parties, an account of these steps.

4. Subject to a positive response to this statement, the British government will bring forward the necessary order to enable the Assembly and Executive to be restored by May 22nd, 2000.

5. With confidence that there are clear proposals for implementing all other aspects of the agreement, the governments believe that paramilitary organisations must now, for their part, urgently state that they will put their arms completely and verifiably beyond use.

Such statements would constitute a clear reduction in the threat.

In response, the British government would, subject to its assessment of the level of threat at the time, on which it will continue to consult regularly with the Irish Government, take further substantial normalisation measures by June 2001.

6. The IICD will continue its task under the agreement.

The governments will now ask the IICD to consider urgently, in consultation with representatives of the paramilitary organisations, whether there are any further proposals for decommissioning schemes which offer the commission greater scope to proceed in more effective and satisfactory ways with the discharge of its basic mandate, and to report.

The governments will give early consideration to any such proposals.

The commission will make further reports as necessary.

Those reports will be published promptly.

7. Progress to full implementation of all aspects of the agreement will be periodically assessed by the two governments, in consultation with the Northern Ireland parties.

If difficulties arise in the implementation of the agreement [for example, the IICD reports that it does not believe that arms will be put beyond use, or the institutions are not operating in good faith as envisaged in the agreement], the two governments will, in consultation with the Assembly and the Executive, carry out an immediate formal review under the terms of the agreement.