Belfast Quote by David Trimble
![“We had a completely deniable exchange of papers - in the winter before the 1997 election - with [Tony] Blair, setting out what we thought were the realistic parameters for a solution: and we were getting reasonable responses back from him. That's what led to Blair's visit to Belfast on May 16…” quote by David Trimble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/92c/david-trimble-29633_belfast_we-had-a-completely-deniable-exchange-of_422771.jpg)
“We had a completely deniable exchange of papers - in the winter before the 1997 election - with [Tony] Blair, setting out what we thought were the realistic parameters for a solution: and we were getting reasonable responses back from him. That's what led to Blair's visit to Belfast on May 16, 1997 - two weeks after he became Prime Minister and his first official visit outside London.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Negotiations leading to 1997 Belfast Agreement, 1997
Political leaders can negotiate discreetly to set realistic expectations before public commitments.
In simple terms: Quiet talks shape big outcomes.
Key Takeaway
Use private dialogue to build trust.
Themes
politics
negotiation
trust
Mood
strategic
reflective
Type
diplomatic
historical
When to use this quote
- peace talks
- election periods
- policy drafting
Key Concepts
conflict resolution
diplomacy
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can transparency be balanced with discretion?
- What risks arise from secret negotiations?
A Different Perspective
Private talks may exclude broader stakeholder input.
![“I had read an early profile of [Tony] Blair by Frank Millar in which he said that Blair was very keen on the 'consent principle'.” quote by David Trimble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e46/david-trimble-29633_blair_i-had-read-an-early-profile-of-tony-blai_2318708.jpg)
![“It wasn't too difficult to see that [Ian] Paisley would never do anything positive.” quote by David Trimble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0c1/david-trimble-29633_difficult_it-wasn-t-too-difficult-to-see-that-ian_1536435.jpg)
![“It seemed to me that John [Taylor] had a good chance of becoming leader: and I was fairly comfortable with that. I respected his judgment. And I also thought to myself that - because I was able to get on with him - I could become his Chief Whip.” quote by David Trimble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/171/david-trimble-29633_able_it-seemed-to-me-that-john-taylor-had-a-g_1714977.jpg)
