Gerry Adams

I think you’ll find this short piece interesting for two reasons.  First, I do not think many people know that the British Government tried to prevent the meeting Rudy Giuliani had with Gerry Adams in 1994.  That might be historically noteworthy.  Second, it gives you some more insight into the man and how he formulates policy in foreign affairs.  You may come away with a completely different view than the one I did.  But here is the unvarnished version, probably revealed for the first time, of what happened that day.

 

The phone was ringing as I walked into my office. I rushed to Mabel’s desk before voice mail picked up. The office was empty, no Mable and no Ray, my number two. “Mayor’s Office,” I said.  “Mr. Harding?”  I knew that voice anywhere. “Pauline Weppler,” I replied.

Pauline was British Consul General Alistair Hunter’s executive assistant. Alistair was a friend and his executive assistant had a very high voice just like Queen Elizabeth's. Pauline was perpetually chipper but terse; she was all business. “Good morning, I have the Consul General for you,” she said. “How are you, Pauline?” I asked. I always tried to keep the conversation going because I loved to hear her speak.  “I’m very well Mr. Harding, thank you for asking. Please hold for Mr. Hunter.”

Alistair came on and asked how I was. “I’m fine Alistair. How’s Helga?” I responded asking of Mrs. Hunter. “She’s fine thank you. I’m afraid this is an official call however, Russell.”  Official? What business could we have together today? We had worked on the John Major visit together a few months prior but what now? 

“What’s up, Alistair?” I asked. “I’ve received cables overnight from the Foreign Office with instructions to make known to the Mayor that Her Majesty’s Government strongly urges the Mayor not to meet with Gerry Adams. That we would view it as unhelpful to the peace process if the meeting went forward. That we want this conveyed in the strongest language possible. I’m telling you between us that the Foreign Office is very upset this meeting is taking place. They’ve asked me to do whatever I can to see that it is stopped.”

I had completely forgotten that today was the day that Gerry Adams was coming to City Hall. I looked down at Mabel’s desk at the Mayor’s schedule - September 28, 1994 - Rudy was to present him with a Crystal Apple, NYPD bagpipe salute, the whole works. I’m not Irish and no lover of the Irish Republican Army. This event hadn’t registered with me.

“Alistair, this is crazy. This event is in a few hours. Why are you telling me this?” I asked incredulously. “I’d like you to get to the Mayor and convey my Government’s position,” he explained. “I can’t see this doing any good,” I informed him, “I’ll grant you that this is really a Vallone event and that Rudy is just tagging along. Vallone made him do it. Rudy is not a Gerry Adams fan, I know that.  But stopping it, now?”  Alistair summed up, “Would you be willing to go and make the request on our behalf?”  

I thought for a minute. “Yes,” I said, “I’ll go.” “Thank you, Russell,” Alistair replied. “Alistair, this is a long shot. Don’t hold out much hope. I’ll call you later.” I hung up and called Beth Petrone. I managed to get myself squeezed in I and went over.

I felt rather queasy going over and asking him to cancel his participation in an event that was less than three hours away. But his part in this was minimal. It was really a Vallone event and Rudy was more of a special guest than the host. He could easily back out. Peter Vallone, the Speaker of the NYC Council, had prevailed upon Rudy to do this event.

He was behind his desk. I stood in front. He looked up at me and asked, "What's up?"   “Mayor, I received a call from the Consul General of Great Britain, who happens to be a friend of mine. He’s received cables from his Government overnight asking officially for you to reconsider your meeting with Gerry Adams. The British Government wants you to know officially and urgently that it is their position that it is not helpful to the peace process in Northern Ireland.  Moreover, that it would be most unhelpful were you to hold him up as a peacemaker. They’re officially requesting that you not meet with him today in the strongest possible terms. I think given your past views on him their request would not be inconsistent with calling off the meeting. What do you think?”

“I made a promise to Vallone to do this,” the Mayor responded. That’s very noble I thought but on a foreign policy issue such as this I expected he might have a more thoughtful response than that. “You know you have plenty of cover since Clinton won’t meet with him?” I asked. “I know,” he said, “Vallone asked me and I said yes.”

I was going to try another tack. “Is this about Woodlawn and Woodside?”  I asked, naming Irish neighborhoods, and meaning votes.  He understood the reference.  “No, just Peter,” he said. “Mayor, the man is a terrorist. I know you know that. I’m Jewish. To me he’s no different than Arafat. You shouldn’t meet with this guy. He’s got blood on his hands. And a lot of it,” I concluded.

“Peter asked me. It’s important to him. I said yes. That’s it.”   He was finished and exasperated with me. “OK, I’m done," I said. "Thank you, Mayor.”   I left.

This was the extent of Rudy Giuliani’s interest in foreign policy. Vallone might have asked him to issue a statement blasting Gerry Adams and he would have done that too, no problem. Foreign policy should not be formulated this way - favors to friends, no real interest in what the subject is or the background of the person you’re meeting with. 

Rudy’s speechwriter that day wrote the line, “outside occupation force,” referring to the North’s suffering under the British. I know that Rudy could have cared less which way that fight went and it was all a sop to Vallone. I knew the guy who wrote the speech. He made up the position. It was all so crass. It was classic Rudy, no finesse. He promised Vallone, so he gave him the kitchen sink. Notwithstanding that we all knew he thought Gerry Adams to be a total terrorist.

You might say, “Great guy. He keeps his word to a friend.”  Fair point if this weren’t significant policy.  Don’t think for a second that it was not a major, major coup for the IRA to have Rudy Giuliani, the Mayor of New York City, not only meet Gerry Adams but blast the British; especially when the President of the United States had refused a meeting. This was not an incidental thing.  And as such, more thought should have gone into it.

I had to call Alistair and tell him that I had struck out. I was embarrassed to tell him that Rudy’s motives were so shallow and that his interest once again in foreign policy was so fleeting – so I made something up.  When would he grow up and start taking foreign policy matters seriously? Meet Gerry Adams? OK. But do it because you believe it moves the peace process forward. Do it because you think the IRA represents the true aspirations of the people of Northern Ireland. Do it because you hate Ian Paisley. Do it because you want to send a message to Bill Clinton, who won’t. Do it for votes, the oldest reason in the world. But have a conviction in something on a matter as serious as this. But none was to be found on September 28, 1994.

 

Comments

[robin]

yeah rudy palled around with a terrorist. what i would like to know is who is vallone?

why did he like a terrorist?
didnt shin fein mostly blow up empty buildings?

[RAH]

Well Resa,
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. It all depends on your point of view. My thoughts on Gerry Adams are pretty clear but others certainly disagree.

[Resa]

So, I guess that you are saying that Rudy has palled around with terrorists?