British were in North as ‘one million Irishmen’ wanted them, Haughey told

State Papers: Solution to conflict not possible just by military means, British diplomat said

Taoiseach Charles Haughey was told the British were not committed to the Anglo-Irish Agreement solely for security reasons. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh

Taoiseach Charles Haughey was told the British were not committed to the Anglo-Irish Agreement solely for security reasons. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh

The British were in Northern Ireland only because “one million Irishmen” wanted them there, a British ambassador told taoiseach Charlie Haughey 30 years ago.

Documents marked “secret”, which record a meeting between then ambassador to Dublin Nicholas Fenn and Haughey show the diplomat was acting on the instructions of Northern Ireland secretary of state Tom King.

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