Transcript of a press conference with John Major, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and John Bruton, Irish Taoiseach, on 10 June 1996. On that date all-party negotiations, the Stormont talks, began in Belfast. Sinn Féin was excluded from the discussions. The unionist parties indicated their opposition to George Mitchell’s influence as chair of the negotiations but did take part in the talks. In this press conference Major and Bruton discuss their support for Mitchell in his role as chairperson and outline their willingness to include Sinn Féin in the talks on the basis of a Provisional IRA ceasefire. Five days later the Provisional IRA detonated a bomb in Manchester injuring two hundred people.
Date of Release/Broadcast: 10 June 1996
Name of First Interviewee: John Major
Role at time of Interview: John Major (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom), John Bruton (Irish Taoiseach)
Purpose: News
Media: Transcript
Copyright:
Link: Read the transcript
Programme/Book/Article: johnmajor.co.uk
Time Period covered: 1996
Key Individuals: John Major, John Bruton, David Trimble, John Taylor, Ian Paisley, Robert McCartney, George Mitchell, John de Chastelain, Harri Holkeri, Jerry McCabe, Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness, John Hume
Key Words: Stormont talks, Sinn Féin, Provisional IRA, ceasefire, decommissioning, Mitchell Principles, Mitchell Report, Downing Street Declaration, Framework Documents, SDLP, DUP