Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Peace Talks

Noordwijk 1996

The Liberal International Congress, meeting on 5th – 8th June in Noordwijk, The Netherlands:

• welcoming the efforts made by the British and Irish Governments and by democratic parties in both countries to reach a settlement in Northern Ireland which will allow both the nationalist minority and the unionist majority to live on terms of mutual respect;
• welcoming the recognition by both Governments and democratic parties that change in the constitutional status of Northern Ireland can only be made with the consent of the people of Northern Ireland;
• believing that the ‘decommissioning’ of arms of both the ‘republican’ and ‘loyalist’ paramilitaries can be achieved by the application of the principles of the Mitchell Report;
• insisting that, in a democracy, terrorism must not be allowed to impose decisions if democracy itself is to survive;
• supports the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom in their determination not to admit Sinn Fein to the Talks due to start on 10th June, unless and until the IRA unequivocally reinstates the cease-fire, which it has violated since 9th February;
• calls on Sinn Fein/IRA to reinstate the cease-fire, so allowing the 15% of those who voted for them in the elections of May 30th to be represented at the Talks starting on June 10th;
• urges all Liberals and democrats to show solidarity with those in Ireland and the United Kingdom who resist terrorism;
• instructs its President to send this Resolution to the British and Irish Governments before the 10th of June, to all parties in Dail Eireann and at Westminster, and to Sinn Fein.