Proximity Talks Between Parties

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Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive
Launched in 2000, Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive spans from 1897 to the present day and currently contains an ever-expanding catalogue of 13,000 items. It comprises material from a variety of depositors including feature films, sport, documentaries, animation, amateur footage, light entertainment, and a significant proportion of broadcast material from the UTV Archive.

Proximity Talks Between Parties (UTV News)

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A shaky start to cross-party talks at Stormont.

Ken Reid reports for UTV Live on the beginning of 1996's 'Proximity Talks' between the Northern Irish political parties at Castle Buildings, Stormont. Irish foreign minister Dick Spring and Northern Ireland secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew speak to the press afterwards, as does the SDLP's John Hume. The two main Unionist parties have not turned up on the first day, with Ian Paisley saying that he is willing to hold talks, but not at Stormont.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Sinn Fein turns up, expecting to be barred from entering the talks process. This turns out to be the case, and Gerry Adams speaks to the gathered press about the situation, which sees his party blocked from the process during a period when the IRA have resumed their campaign of violence.

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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From the collection

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

Unionist Parties Split on Role of Senator Mitchell

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