Editing Downing Street Declaration (section)

== Significance ==
The Downing Street Declaration demonstrated to republicans and loyalists that political differences can be "negotiated and resolved exclusively by peaceful political means". Contrary to the suggestion that an inclusive settlement "would compromise no position or principle", the history of the declaration had already shown that compromise on all sides was the indispensable foundation of the Northern Ireland peace process.<ref name="McBride 2023">{{Cite web |last=McBride |first=Ian |date=2023 |title=Commentary from Professor Ian McBride: Looking at the Downing Street Declaration |url=https://www.quillproject.net/m2/features/downing_street_declaration/ian_mcbride_commentary |access-date=12 December 2023 |website=Quill Project}}</ref>

The declaration, after a meeting between Sinn Féin President [[Gerry Adams]] and American congressman [[Bruce Morrison]], which was followed by a joint statement issued by Adams and [[John Hume]], was considered sufficient by the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] to announce a [[ceasefire]] on 31 August 1994<ref>Rowan, Brian (1995). ''Behind the lines: the story of the IRA and Loyalist ceasefires ''. Blackstaff Press, [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/peace/rowan.htm Chapter 8]. {{ISBN|0-85640-564-7}}</ref> which was then followed on 13 October by an announcement of a ceasefire from the [[Combined Loyalist Military Command]].<ref>[http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch94.htm#Oct CAIN- Chronology of the Conflict 1994], cain.ulst.ac.uk; accessed 4 March 2016.</ref> This ceasefire allowed Sinn Fein to be admitted to the "democratic process".<ref name="McBride 2023"/>

The Downing Street Declaration was significant because it addressed major ideological obstacles to peace in Northern Ireland, such as the right of the people of Ireland to self-determination and the principle of consent:

"The British Government agree that it is for the people of the island of Ireland alone, by agreement between the two parts respectively, to exercise their right of self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, North and South, to bring about a united Ireland, if that is their wish".<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 December 1993 |title=Joint Declaration 1993 |url=https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/ourrolesandpolicies/northernireland/peace-process--joint-declaration-1993.pdf |archive-url= |access-date=12 December 2023 |website=Department of Foreign Affairs}}</ref>

Indeed, the Declaration addressed the "boundary question" of who would be allowed to vote in a referendum, which it stated the people of the island of Ireland. Therefore, the idea of self-determination gave legitimacy to any constitutional decision taken by the people of the island of Ireland for the people of the island of Ireland. Subsequently, this meant that these issues were generally accepted by the time the [[Good Friday Agreement]] negotiations began, and did not significantly stall the 1998 peace agreement.