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2017/10/76

22 January 1987

5 pages

Department of the Taoiseach

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Copyright: National Archives, Ireland. May only be reproduced with the written permission of the Director of the National Archives.

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~ R§dio. Ulster Interview with Tom King

22 January, 1987

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The intervi~wer first asked Mr. King for his reaction to the

call by Addie Morrow that he initiate talks between the

political parties now that there was a gap between meetings of

the Conference created by the General Election in the South.

Mr, King; Well, I have a lot of sympathy with what he says. He

makes a number of obviously, points. The first thing he says is

that overwhelmingly the people in Northern Ireland are crying

OUt tor 01a~oyu~ Lu LQhc ~l~ee. WO m~aQ t~n pffnrt~ in the past

which we thought had been successful Qt making that possible.

On both occasions they were repudiated, once when Mr. Molyneaux

and Mr. Paisley were, I think, ... otlu~r s weren't wi 11 ing to

support them in an initiative and subsequently they themselves

withdrAw. Now we have obviously another opportunity and I

suppose it ig a test of goo~ faith of ~heth~t wh3t unioni6t~

have said in the past, they mean, because they, as Mr. Molyneaux

has said, have talked about the need for some interval, for some

suspension. Now what actually is going to happen of course is

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{( that the reality of the election situation is that there will be

,, some suspension of the Conference procedure. Obviously,

depending and I won't comment at this stage, but depending on

what might be the outcome of the election in the Republic the

question is to what the future might bring obviously may become

clearer after that election.

Interviewer: So you are saying to unionists that they should

identify this gap of a number of months in meetings of the

Conference and use it, and you are prepared to facilitate them

in talks,

Mr, King: I have made that absolutely clear. I make it clear

again that obviously it is a new situation that .has arisen and ·

there will not be a meeting of the Conference during the

election period, and possibly for a period thereafter, and in

that situation if people were serious and genuine about saying

that we must have some guarantee that we won•t suddenly find the

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Conference taking place at the same time as we are sitting down

in discussions. No~ they have that assurance.

Interviewer: So are you saying to the Unionists then that, in

effect, because of the election in the Republic, that the

Tir.,Tnnmlilnt thr1t I hf" 111'd;\'i'\t~on oi tho Aqrilifment hc1a r!P. fnr.t.n lJaen

suspended? 6~\ /"'-

Mr, KingL Well, this is where the sorts of muddles and

difficulties arise because when you say the operation of the

Agreement, I wouldn't suspend Article I of the Agreement under

any cl n;u1ui:; Ldu1..;1;:ti. 'I'hai: i o tho u: 1mr a nee th~ Hn j oni sts h~ve of

the recognition of the Republic of the right of the majority in

Northern Ireland to determine their own future. Now I don't

think, I mean, if people talk very glibly about suspending the

Agreement, many people actually want that suspended. I think

that when people analyse their position what they are really

talking about is the regular meetings of the Conference.

~~ Interviewer: I think thatf also talking about the work of the

Secretariat in Maryfie1d.

Mr, King; Obviously that is affected by the general election as

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well. That is going to be affected and that is, obviously , part

of its work will effectively be suspended because of tha general

election period. And so, this is simply an opportunity which

meets the requirements which Unionists have laid down, which

they could take if they wanted to and I think the test is going

to be whether they can actually answer the question that I have

consistently put. You can't just say No, No, No, and do it for

14 years or more. You have to say Yes to something and of

course, the worry that I have is whether they will be able to

come forward to any talks and have anything to talk about.

Interviewer; Mr. King can I just be clear on one point. The

outgoing Irish Prime Minister Garrett FitzGerald has said that

during the election period and until a new Government is elected

in the Republic, the Secretariat of Maryfield will cont inue to

operate.

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Mr. Kin~..i. Ye:s, that's right. The t·1ord:J I used is that somi;: uf the aspects of its work will inevitably be affected because obvioualy \ho ... lnterviewer; But what aspects?

Mr, Kingi Well the government is fighting elections and there's a lot of day to day communication, co-operation, particularly for instance in areas such as Cross-border incidents, things on which there is intelligence or need for co-operation in that field, which are of benefit to everybody, North and South of the border. That will obviously go on. But this, the point here is that there is an opportunity here if people are willing to take

be the opportunity and X certainly should think that the point Should have been made, and that Mr. Morrow has made are points that very many people in Northern Ireland would share, irrespective of that party affiliation or support. There is opportunity if people are willing fo talk now to take this opportunity and to sit down and have sensible discussion.

Interviewerj And you now this morning, issue that invitation to local parties who •••

Mr, King: I shall be considering the best way in which to move forward. But the comments that I have made this morning are helpful. I hope that people who hear them will think about what r•ve said. Everybody only knows that I am willing to sit down and talk. Everybody, I think, also has known me now for long enough to know that I am prepared to deal fairly with anybody who has the courage to come and talk to me. Some Unionists have, but the tragedy is that people not yet in terms of the official leadership on either side felt able to do this in any serious way. I think that step must happen.

Intervieweri There I must leave it. Thank you very much indeed Mr. King.

The Secretary of State, Tom King.

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78( BU IC 22/1/37 I MI EDIATE

TO f RO '.i BELFAS1

II I I I KING INTERVIE.W

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A TRANSCRIPT OF THE SEPARATELY BY FAX.

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KING INTERVIE'.I ON RADIO ULSTER IS

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BEING SE NT

l RAISED THIS MA TTER I M r•, E D 1 A T E L Y O tJ H E A R l N G l E OF TYE SECRETARIAl

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w ITH 0 SAI D i HAD

STRESSED THAT THE

THE DOU GT

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HEAD Of TYE 5R ITISH T~AT IT <>ULD cr..us E co•,Cc.Rt! I~TERVIE~ DID ~O T LEAVt A t;Y

WA S D0Uc1 A:3 0Ul THE CQ!i l i !JUED O.:>E.K ATI O~ OF

KING'S MIN D WAS THAT ou-ING THE COURSE "!'HE SE"CRETARiAT. OF THE ELECTi ON

IN Sf ~SI TIVE IS SUES , WHICH ~IGHT HAVE

A ' ELECTIO N CA MPA IG N, WILL NOT NOW

WHA T CA 11PAIG N SCf', t

T H E ~ E ~J O T :3 E E N DISCUSSE D HA D DISCUSSED. CONF ERE NCE FOR THE

e E ~o MEETI NG OF THE

8 HN BE

SAID fOR

If ADD iTI O~ o E(AUSE THERE WILL DURA TIO N OF THE ELECTIO N CA F,P AiGN,

THE WORK LOAD OF REDUCED .

so ~·. ETI !, E T'1E REAF TE.P , CONFEREN CES

AND T ~ E

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SECi?ETARIAT

T0 lAL K TO Kl~G TJDAl ~ THIS CONVER SATION ,

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THAT 1 HERE IS NO QU ESTIO N I ~ ELLlOTT ' S VIE W ~OJLD ?~OVI~ E RAISE THE I NTERVIE W WITH KING A~D TO STRES ~

WliY Ei ETWEE NOW MIGHT

OF THE SECQETA R IAT A8AND0Nl1::, ITS ROLE AND THE FOR MA TI O OF A NEW GOVERN MENT IN

l ANY SERIOUS DU BLI T HE MINISTER

CORR ECTI NG A,'y ALS~ WISH TO ASK KING TO MA KE A STATE MENT

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INTERPRETATIONS INDICATI NG THAT REDUCED.

WHICH HAVE Of THE ~IQR K

ARISEN WHICH HAVE HAD THE SECRETARIAT WILL

THE EFFECT OF BE SIGNIFICANTLY

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