Unionist Parties Split on Role of Senator Mitchell
From the collection of
How We Got Here
- Belfast
- 1998-04-09
Unionist Parties Split on Role of Senator Mitchell (UTV News)
A spilt opens up between Unionist representatives
Ken Reid reports from Stormont on disagreement at the talks process in Northern Ireland. Unionists have been opposing the wide-ranging powers handed to Senator Mitchell by the British government and their Irish counterparts. After several days of discussions on the issue, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has succeeded in gaining some concessions over Mitchell's role and powers and is content for the Ulster Unionist Party to continue with talks.
However, the DUP and the UK Unionist Party still find Mitchell's position unacceptable, and now split ranks with Trimble. Since the time of the opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement over a decade earlier, there has been close co-ordination between the UUP and DUP. However, there is now a decisive split in their attitude towards the talks process, which will prove to be irrevocable.
In front of the press cameras, Trimble and the Reverend William McCrea of the DUP become involved in a heated discussion, and Ian Paisley denounces the UUP position. David Ervine of the PUP and Gary McMichael of the UDP, both representatives of paramilitary groups, hit out at the DUP for trying to wreck the process.
At this stage, the UUP are committed to the talks, representing mainstream unionism. The paramilitary representatives from the PUP and UDP are also committed, having signed up to the Mitchell Principles on non-violence, while the DUP and UKUP have hardened their positions.
Also interviewed in this piece were John Hume of the SDLP and Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein, who had to answer questions on the killing of a member of the Gardai in the Republic of Ireland which it was suspected was the work of the IRA.
Starting in 1993, UTV Live took over as Ulster Television's local news series, running a flagship programme each evening, with other bulletins throughout the day. In the 1990s it captured the unfolding story of the push towards a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, through all its twist and turns, which ended with the historic Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
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Northern Ireland: The Road to Peace
The historic events which led to a political agreement to end almost 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland during the time known as 'The Troubles'.
In 1993, exploratory talks about peace gave hope that decades of civil strife and violence in Northern Ireland could be brought to an end. At Christmas that year, the Downing Street Declaration by John Major and the Irish Taoiseach Albert Reynolds paved the way for a peace process that would build in momentum over the next five years.
The path forwards was often rocky and turbulent, and punctuated by further violence and unrest. However, the major players from all sides of the divide eventually struck an historic deal in what was known as the Good Friday Agreement.
This collection of news reports and interviews between 1993 and 1998 records the slow but steady path towards a better future after a generation of conflict.
26 videos in this collection
1
How We Got Here
2
Downing Street Declaration
3
US Visa Given to Gerry Adams
4
Sinn Féin Conference (Ard Fheis)
5
IRA Cessation of Military Operations
6
Loyalist Response to IRA Ceasefire
7
Loyalist Ceasefire Announced
8
USA Special Adviser Appointed
9
Framework Documents Published
10
Reaction to the Framework Documents
11
Mayhew Meeting with Adams
12
Stand-Off at Drumcree
13
March Takes Place on Garvaghy Road
14
IRA 'Haven't Gone Away'
15
David Trimble Elected Leader of UUP
16
President Clinton and John Major at Downing Street
17
President Clinton's Visit to Belfast
18
Mitchell Report on Decommissioning
19
London Docklands Bomb and End of IRA Ceasefire
20
British-Irish Communique
21
Proximity Talks Between Parties
22
Northern Ireland Forum Election Results
23
Irish Presidential Visit to London
24
Preparation for Talks at Stormont
25
Talks at Stormont Begin
26