Video interviews with Arlene Foster, (Honorary Secretary on the Ulster Unionist Council), Peter Weir (UUP MLA for North Down) and William Ross (UUP MP for East Londonderry), for ITN on 14 July 1999. On 2 July the British and Irish governments published ‘The Way Forward’, a document setting out a process for the formation of the Executive on 15 July and the beginning of decommissioning soon after. In response to UUP rejection of the proposals, Tony Blair stated that failsafes on decommissioning would be built into legislation on the devolution of power to Northern Ireland. On the evening before the sitting of the Northern Ireland Assembly to nominate ministers to the Executive the UUP executive met to decide party policy. Foster, Weir and Ross discuss their party’s attitudes towards power-sharing, decommissioning and David Trimble’s leadership of the UUP.
Date of Release/Broadcast: 14 July 1999
Name of First Interviewee: Arlene Foster
Name of Second Interviewee: Peter Weir
Name of Third Interviewee: William Ross
Role at time of Interview: Arlene Foster, (Honorary Secretary on the Ulster Unionist Council), Peter Weir (UUP MLA for North Down) and William Ross (UUP MP for East Londonderry)
Purpose: News
Media: Audiovisual
Copyright: ©2013 ITN All rights reserved
Link: Watch the interview
Programme/Book/Article: ITN
Time Period covered: 1998-1999
Key Individuals: Arlene Foster, Peter Weir, William Ross
Key Words: UUP, Belfast Agreement, Good Friday Agreement, UUP, decommissioning, IRA, power-sharing, paramilitary, failsafe, The Way Forward, IICD