Peace

On Wednesday December 15^th of 1993 the Joint Declaration on Peace (AKA) “the Downing Street Declaration” was issued by then Prime Minister of Britain, John Major and then Prime Minister of Ireland, Albert Reynolds, on behalf of the British and Irish Governments.

• The British government had no selfish strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland.
• The British government would uphold the right of the people of Northern Ireland to decide between the Union with Great Britain or a united Ireland.
• The British and Irish governments would work for an agreement among all the people of Ireland, embracing "the totality of relationships".
• The Irish government recognized that "Irish self-determination" (meaning, in this context, a United Ireland) required the agreement and consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland.
• The Irish government would try to address unionist fears of a united Ireland.
• A united Ireland could only be brought about by persuasion.
• Peace must involve a permanent end to the use of, or support for, paramilitary violence.*

From this we can see that Britain was trying their hardest to bring peace to the conflict.



* Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/northern-ireland-peace-process