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Statement by the British Government in response to Senator Mitchell's Conclusion of the Review, 20 November 1999
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Statement by the British Government in response to Senator George Mitchell's Conclusion of the Review of the Peace Process, 20 November 1999
We warmly welcome Senator Mitchell's report concluding his review. The recent statements by the parties demonstrate increased trust and confidence and a determination to implement the Good Friday Agreement in full. The responses to the Decommissioning Commission's call for support from the parties in the process of decommissioning, and for the paramilitary organisations to appoint authorised representatives, convinces us that this important aspect of the Agreement can be implemented.
We agree with Senator Mitchell that a basis now exists for devolution to occur, for the institutions to be established, and for decommissioning to take place as soon as possible. Accordingly:
- The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will convene a meeting of the Assembly on Monday 29 November for the purpose of running the d'Hondt procedure for nominating Ministers.
- Subject to Ministers having been nominated, the Devolution Order will be laid before Parliament on 30 November to take effect on 2 December.
- We will play our part in bringing the British-Irish Agreement into effect on 2 December.
We pay tribute to the skill, persistence and dedication with which Senator Mitchell has carried out his review. Both Governments, the political parties and, most of all, the people of Northern Ireland owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for helping create the conditions in which the implementation of the Agreement can now go ahead.
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