H. Res. 561

In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

October 5, 1994.

Whereas Northern Ireland has for many years been riven by

violence;

Whereas this cycle of violence and death has embittered and

further separated the people of both great traditions on

the island of Ireland, so that reconciliation between them

has been made more difficult;

Whereas the Irish and British Governments have made joint

efforts pursuant to the Anglo Irish Agreement of 1985

and 3-stranded talks between and among the constitutional parties of the north and the 2 governments to find

political solutions to this situation that would win the

support of the majority of the people of Ireland, North

and South;

Whereas the 2 governments have made further efforts in the

Downing Street Declaration of 1993 to establish principles under which such a political settlement could be

negotiated among all the parties in Northern Ireland that

renounce the use of violence;

Whereas, after a period of internal debate and consideration,

the Irish Republican Army announced on August 31,

1994, a complete cessation of military operations and de-
2

HRES 561 EH

clared its willingness to participate in political talks with

other parties in Northern Ireland and the 2 governments;

Whereas the Irish Republican Army has kept its pledge to

end military operations since that time;

Whereas other loyalist and nationalist paramilitary organizations have not declared their intention to end the use of

military operations and have in fact continued attacks;

Whereas the policy of the United States has consistently supported the end of military operations and provided strong

diplomatic and material support for peace and reconciliation throughout the island of Ireland, and particularly

through annual appropriations to the International Fund

for Ireland;

Whereas the Congress of the United States has played a role

of support for this Fund and for the efforts of the 2 governments and of courageous leaders of nonviolence from

both traditions in Northern Ireland such as John Hume,

whose inspiration and dogged determination helped convince the Irish Republican Army to lay down its arms;

Whereas the announcement of the Irish Republican Army

ceasefire and the determination of the 2 governments to

offer a framework for comprehensive political dialogue

between all the political parties in Northern Ireland now

offer an historic climate for genuine peace and reconciliation in all of Ireland; and

Whereas the International Fund for Ireland and the Overseas

Private Investment Corporation at this critical moment

can play a key role in building a public-private partnership in support of the peace process in Northern Ireland,

such as through an Overseas Private Investment Cor-
3

HRES 561 EH

poration equity fund for the Republic of Ireland and

Northern Ireland: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) commends the British and Irish Govern3 ments for the steps they have taken and are taking

4 to encourage and facilitate all-party talks leading to

5 a lasting political settlement acceptable to, and rati6 fied by, the people of Ireland, north and south;

7 (2) urges the 2 governments to include all par8 ties that renounce violence into such talks as soon

9 as possible;

10 (3) hails the complete and permanent cessation

11 of Irish Republican Army military operations as an

12 essential step to such a settlement;

13 (4) calls upon all other paramilitary organiza14 tions in Northern Ireland similarly to cease the em15 ployment of violence;

16 (5) expresses strong support for United States

17 economic development programs such as the Inter18 national Fund for Ireland and the Overseas Private

19 Investment Corporation that can contribute to a cli20 mate of economic development in which peace, rec21 onciliation, and justice become achievable goals for

22 all in Northern Ireland; and
4

HRES 561 EH

1 (6) urges the President to take appropriate

2 steps to support the peace process in Northern Ire3 land through such programs.

Attest:

Clerk.