ENGLAND/NORTHERN IRELAND: THE VOTES ARE BEING COUNTED TO CHOOSE DELEGATES TO TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF NORTHERN IRELAND

Record ID: 328593

  • Title: ENGLAND/NORTHERN IRELAND: THE VOTES ARE BEING COUNTED TO CHOOSE DELEGATES TO TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF NORTHERN IRELAND
  • Date: 31st May 1996
  • Summary: BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 31, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/CU EXTERIOR OF CITY HALL WHERE COUNT TAKING PLACE (2 SHOTS) 0.09 2. SLV PEOPLE IN STREETS 0.16 3. LV/SV/CU INSIDE HALL/ BOXES OPENED AND COUNTING BEGUN (4 SHOTS) 0.44 4. SV/MCU SINN FEIN PRESIDENT GERRY ADAMS ARRIVES/MEDIA SURROUND HIM/ADAMS SAYING HE WILL RECEIVE HIS MANDATE AND IS CONFIDENT IN THE VOTE (ENGLISH)/ADAMS ENTERS BUILDING 1.15 5. SV MEDIA AROUND ADAMS (3 SHOTS) 1.30 6. SV POLICE SECURITY 1.35 7. MCU LEADER OF ULSTER UNIONIST PARTY DAVID TRIMBLE SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 2.00 8. SV PEOPLE IN HALL 2.05 9. SV/LV COUNTING TAKING PLACE (3 SHOTS) 2.24 10.MCU JUNE BUTLER DEPUTY RETURNING OFFICER FOR BELFAST SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 2.46 11.SV/CU/LV VOTE COUNTING (3 SHOTS) 3.03 TRANSCRIPT SQ 7: TRIMBLE: "WE MUST NOT BE LEFT WAITING AS WITH THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, WITH ALL DEMOCRATIC PARTIES WHO REPRESENT 90 PER CENT OF THE PEOPLE OF NORTHERN IRELAND, HELD BACK BECAUSE A SMALL GANG COMMITTED TO TERRORISM NOT PREPARED TO GET INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS, IF THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT PREPARED TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO DEMOCRACY THEN THEY SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND, AND THE REST OF US GO ON POSITIVELY." TRANSCRIPT SQ 10: BUTLER: "THIS IS THE MOST UNUSUAL ELECTION I HAVE TO DEAL WITH, MAINLY BECAUSE WE WERE UNAWARE UNTIL LATE STAGE WHAT THE ELECTION WAS GOING TO BE CALLED AND THE ACTUAL SYSTEM WHICH WAS GOING TO BE USED." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 15th June 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA64TZ1W1ZNT4ZB7GH2HG8B4UHU
  • Story Text: INTRO: Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has said he would accept the outcome of all-party peace talks even if they failed to deliver his goal of a united Ireland.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------ The votes were being counted on Friday (May 31) after a day of balloting called to choose delegates to talks on the future of Northern Ireland.

    Most politicians and academics say they expect the results, due late on Friday, to reflect the long-standing balance of power in the province, where pro-British Protestant Unionists hold a 60 percent majority.

    Adams, who at first rejected the election, has embraced it as a chance to renew his party's claim to a role in negotiations. He said in Belfast he saw the talks, due to start on June 10, as the best route to peace.

    Adams comments were in line with recent statements by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) guerrilla movement that the Northern Ireland conflict can only be ultimately resolved in talks.

    The conciliatory remarks will put pressure on London and Dublin to admit him to talks aimed at ending the quarter-century long struggle over who should rule Northern Ireland.

    The leader of the Ulster Unionists, David Trimble, said he did not want the democratic parties to be held back because "a small gang committed to terrorism" were not prepared to get involved in the political process.

    He said if these people were not prepared to commit themselves to democracy, they should be left behind.

    Britain says Sinn Fein will be refused a seat unless the IRA renews a truce called in late 1994. It broke the ceasefire with a London bombing campaign in February.

    The vote was held to elect a 110-member forum that will form a pool of delegates to inter-party talks.


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