A UTV Live report on the groundbreaking Downing Street Declaration. Pinpointing the beginning of the peace process which led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 is difficult to do as, in many ways, there were always people trying to negotiate an end to the conflict. However, there is no doubt that 1993 was a pivotal year, for two reasons.

The first of these was the start of an ongoing dialogue between John Hume of the nationalist SDLP and Gerry Adams of the republican Sinn Fein, often described at the time as the political wing of the Provisional IRA. The second seismic event was unquestionably this joint declaration by John Major, prime minister of the United Kingdom, and Albert Reynolds, taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, setting out a clear path for a series of talks for all those who would renounce violence.

The prospect of dialogue was now on the table for all representatives, regardless of their previously stated beliefs in violence, and it was a major initiative from the two governments to try and break the deadlock in Northern Ireland. As can be seen from the report, it was not welcomed by all, with the DUP seeing it as a sell-out. However, there can be no doubt that it brought new impetus to the quest for an agreement to end what was known as The Troubles.

As well as the report of the declaration there is also a response from Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson of the DUP from Downing Street and John Taylor of the Ulster Unionist Party in the studio.