What did UUP push for in Haass talks?

Like many victims of terrorism I was shocked at Jeff Dudgeon's recent comments about amnesty.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Feb 2016, 07:54 BST
Updated 17th Feb 2016, 06:29 BST
Jeff Dudgeon, background, with UUP team, from left, Danny Kennedy, Mike Nesbitt and Tom Elliott after meeting Dr Richard Haass in 2013. Picture: Matt Mackey/Presseye.comJeff Dudgeon, background, with UUP team, from left, Danny Kennedy, Mike Nesbitt and Tom Elliott after meeting Dr Richard Haass in 2013. Picture: Matt Mackey/Presseye.com
Jeff Dudgeon, background, with UUP team, from left, Danny Kennedy, Mike Nesbitt and Tom Elliott after meeting Dr Richard Haass in 2013. Picture: Matt Mackey/Presseye.com

He and the UUP have since said that his views were personal and not party policy.

This does not give any clarity about the issue of the UUP negotiating position in the Haass talks.

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What does the statement “I was part of the Haass talks, we tried to push, to angle the whole matter toward historical review and understanding, that’s the big issue to find out, what people did, why they did it and what they did wrong” actually mean?

What exactly was Jeff individually and UUP collectively pushing for with Haass?

Was he advocating amnesty then or not? Was this his opinion during Haass? If so why did the UUP choose someone who wanted an amnesty to be part of its negotiation team?

How was it hoping to manage his contribution or did it consider the matter trivial?

The “it was just his/my personal opinion” response does not explain his comments re Haass.

Aileen Quinton, Fermanagh

Related topics:UUPFermanagh