No Turning Back on Peace Process: Clinton
Irish American News Service and Staff

On his third and final state visit to the island of Ireland, President Clinton told the people of Northern Ireland that he believed there was no turning back in the peace process. During his mid-December trip, Clinton said that it was very important people the world over could see what was being done in their homeland.

Speaking before a crowd of 8,000 at the Odyssey Centre in Belfast, several hours later than had been scheduled,Clinton acknowledged there were "difficulties in sharing power." But, he emphasized the alternative offered nothing positive.

Among those listening were leading politicians in Northern Ireland and RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan.

Appealing directly to the people, the president said, "I believe in the peace you are building and that there can be no turning back."
The president said that the U.S. would continue to support the peace process and would "systematically root out terrorism and make sure the [Good Friday] peace agreement takes hold."

He added, "The people of Northern Ireland must be clear and unequivocal in their support of peace. The enemies of peace don't need your approval, all they need is your apathy."

Speaking at the Odyssey, Clinton said for the "visions of the Good Friday Agreement to be realized, all sides must be fully engaged."
Addressing the concerns of both unionists and nationalists, Clinton said the Patten report on policing reform must be implemented and that all of the parties must support the new force, even though legislation on policing which falls short of Patten's recommendations had already become law.
"There must be normalization of the security situation and all arms must be put beyond use to "reduce fear and mistrust," he added.

"I think we can do this. I urge the parties, the two governments and the communities to continue to work at it in the coming days and weeks and we will do all we can to help," he said.

Before traveling to the Odyssey Arena, Clinton met widows of RUC men killed in the Troubles and relatives of murdered solicitors Rosemary Nelson and Pat Finucane.

Clinton also held talks with representatives from the three main pro-Good Friday Agreement parties in an attempt to encourage movement in the deadlocked peace process. However, the British and American governments played down the prospect of a breakthrough in the dragging discussions during the president's trip.

The president also held private meetings at Stormont with members of the pro-agreement parties. British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, the former all-party talks chairman and Northern Ireland peace process

review chairman, were also involved in the negotiations.
Before the discussions at Stormont, Clinton said that he would be urging his successor, who still had not been determined at the time at the president's remarks, to remain intimately involved with the peace process.

Clinton arrived in Ireland on Dec. 12, stepping off Air Force One in Dublin to be greeted by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and deputy leader Mary Harney. Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen and the U. S. Ambassador, Michael Sullivan, were also among the welcoming party. The president was accompanied by his wife, Hillary, and their daughter, Chelsea.
Shortly after landing, President Clinton's party traveled by helicopter to the American ambassador's residence where he had breakfast with a group of American politicians before meeting Irish President Mary McAleese later in the morning.

There were some emotional scenes during Clinton's visit to Dublin, his last trip as U.S. head of state. Both he and Irish premier Bertie Ahern spoke of the mutual esteem between their two countries and stressed that the peace process could not be allowed to falter.

Clinton said that he believed that by its involvement in the peace talks, America had in some tiny way repaid Ireland and its people for the massive gifts they had given to the United States over so many years. He said that reversal in the process was not an option. 

The Clinton family was been running behind schedule for most of their Dublin day, but they visited Fagan's pub opposite the constituency office of the taoiseach in Dromcondra in the company of Ahern and Celia Larkin, Ahern's partner. They each had a drink before leaving: Bass for the taoiseach and lager for Clinton.

Clinton spoke of his warmth for Ireland as he addressed 2,000 guests at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin during another stopover. As he arrived, he was greeted by a host of politicians and dignitaries from the Republic and the North, including the leaders of the main parties, the former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Caoimgin O Caolain.

At the Storehouse, he again spoke of the importance of the peace process and the example provided by Ireland's prosperity. He said that he became involved in the Northern Ireland difficulties because it was the right thing to do, despite the advice of many American political figures.

Addressing the same audience, the taoiseach praised Clinton's tenure in the White House and said that over the past eight years the American president had contributed greatly to helping secure peace in the North.

Several times during his visit to Ireland, Clinton indicated that he would be interested in playing a future role in the North should the incoming administration want him to do so.

"I think the new president will want to have a new team in place and I will support that. I want to support whatever decision the new administration makes on foreign policy and if I can be a resource I will. If I can ever help the Irish of course I will. But I think in terms of my government's representation, that will be entirely up to the new president. I will support whatever decisions are made in that," Clinton emphasized.

Meanwhile, First Lady Hillary Clinton was not idle during her Northern Ireland layover. She and Cherie Blair, the British prime minister's wife, addressed the Women Raising Voices for the New Northern Ireland conference at the Belfast Grand Opera House. The New York senator-elect discussed her plans to convene a meeting of Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and British women parliamentarians as part of her efforts to encourage women to take an active role in the peace process.