13.04.1998
4 Extracts from a report written by John Holmes, to Tony Blair on the final 72 days of negotiations – Friday 10 (Part 2) Catalogue ref: PREM 49/412
Transcript
Trimble eventually brought Taylor, Empey, Maginnis and Donaldson up to see the Prime
Minister. All effectively said the text was unacceptable and unsaleable to Unionists. The Prime
Minister let his despair show, but said he was ready to help if he could, but not by reopening the
text itself. The delegation made clear that the single biggest issue was the prospect of sitting
round the Cabinet table with Sinn Fein when there had been no decommissioning. The Prime
Minister promised to consider this.
When they had left, we concocted a letter to Trimble making clear that, if after 6 months of
the Assembly the present rules to promote non-violent methods had proved ineffective, we
would support changing the rules to give them teeth. We sent this off without much hope,
and meanwhile enlisted Clinton’s help through a direct phone call to Trimble. The cause still
looked all but hopeless, although Trimble had said one or two things which suggested he was
determined to make his colleagues swallow the agreement. Meanwhile the other delegations
were getting restive and suspicious that Mitchell had still not been able to call the expected
plenary to ratify agreement; and the press outside, who had thought it was all over bar the
shouting, were just beginning to get wind that we might be in serious trouble.
Suddenly, at about 1630, the picture changed again. Rumours reached us that, following the
Prime Minister’s letter, and Clinton’s call, Trimble had taken renewed heart and called a vote,
which he had narrowly won. This seemed too good to be true, but Trimble quickly rang to
confirm that the way was now clear for the plenary to be held, and Mitchell arranged it for 1700.
The plenary itself was relatively devoid of drama. No-one pressed any amendments, though
Adams insisted that a paper on Sinn Fein “Issues of Concern” be entered into the record. The
vote was swift. All said yes except Adams, who said he was “very positive” about the text but
would have to consult his Annual Conference first. Trimble said he would have to consult his
Executive Committee and full Executive Council, but was voting yes anyway. And that was it.
There was no applause when sufficient consensus was achieved – just a stunned silence.
After votes of thanks from all parties to Mitchell and his co-chairmen, the Prime Minister and
Ahern rushed out to make their planned statements to the waiting media, while Mitchell held a
ceremonial closing meeting to allow all the participants to say their piece. Immediately after the
press conference, we left for London completely drained by the roller-coaster nightmare of the
previous three days and scarcely able to believe what had happened.