Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 20:33:37 -0500 From: Yoshie Furuhashi <Furuhashi.1-AT-osu.edu> Subject: Re: M-I: Bill, Tony and Gerry James, We ought to read this as a result of *our* failure--not the Irish Republicans'. Yoshie James H wrote: >This hymn of praise to president Clinton and prime minister Tony Bliar >is take from the Sinn Fein news service. It is pointed that Adams' >pleads with 'Orange' David Trimble to say hello to him, like a good >fellow. > >>>> 'Seize the moment' - Clinton > > > The past two days have confirmed that the Clinton > administration's interest in Ireland goes well beyond > the annual White House reception and ceremonial bowl of > shamrock. > > Last night the US President made a strong appeal to > politicians in the northern talks process to grasp this > "chance of a lifetime" for peace. > > Speaking on St Patrick's Day after a series of private > meetings with the northern party leaders, the Irish > Taoiseach and British officials, Clinton said: "Let us > bring a future to Ireland worthy of that great > achievement of St Patrick. This is the chance of a > lifetime for peace in Ireland." > > "Tonight we have here in this room representatives, > leaders, of all the parties to the peace talks. It is a > great night," Clinton said at the annual St. Patrick's > reception, > > "All of you, you have to seize this historic moment," > Clinton said, calling for unionists to engage with > Republicans and urging all sides to support a push by > the Irish and British governments to draft an agreement > in the coming weeks. > > On Monday evening, Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams praised the > US President's grasp and insight into the situation in > the Six Counties. > > Speaking after he lead a party delegation in a meeting > at the White House which he described as "very > constructive", he said: "The President was extremely > relaxed and entirely at ease with the issues we were > discussing. I was very impressed with his grasp of both > the broad shape of what is required and also his > insight into Sinn Fein thinking. All of the Sinn Fein > delegation were greatly encouraged both by the > President's continued attention and by his continued > committment to bringing about a democratic peace > process and helping and encouraging the conditions > whereby that can be achieved." > > Mr Adams said the meeting went on longer than planned > and that the US Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine > Albright, was "a very welcome presence" at the meeting. > Her attendance showed the broad concern of the US > administration to help move the situation forward, he > said. > > He warned that the next few weeks would be dangerous. > "In many ways I suppose, without spinning it up too > much, some people might think we are facing into the > most difficult part of the process. > > "But Sinn Fein is in this process to make a democratic > deal, Sinn Fein is in this process to buy into that > deal." > > He said the party would persist with its peace strategy > and commitment to the process until there was a > permanent and durable peace for all the people on the > island of Ireland, but ge acknowledged that a united > Ireland was unlikely to happen by May. "What we need to > see is a rolling, or transitional process which will at > least move that (a united Ireland) forward in a way > which takes on board the current difficulties at this > time," he said. > > The Sinn Fein President again appealed for Ulster > Unionist leader David Trimble to negotiate with his > party. The message was repeated by the party's > Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness, who was in New > York to represent Sinn Fein at the St. Patrick's Day > parade. > > Said Adams: "Mr Trimble needs to stop talking at Sinn > Fein and start talking to Sinn Fein. The people we > represent are first-class citizens, they are no better > than anyone else in the island of Ireland and they are > no worse...His own people, who are my people also, will > applaud courage from the unionist leadership." > > "I would implore Mr Trimble - not to trust me > necessarily at this point, because that's maybe > something which we have to find a bridge to develop the > type of relationship which is required - but to trust > himself as a leader, that he can sit down, argue, > debate, negotiate and listen. I am quite prepared to do > that, and I have lots of reasons and lots of people > give me lots of reasons not to talk to Mr Trimble, but > I think it's my duty to do so." > > Adams later told reporters that the potential for > agreement existed, but had been thwarted by Mr > Trimble's failure to speak to him, even when the two > men are seated side-by-side. > > "The problem ... for the process is that Mr Trimble has > yet to come to talk to Sinn Fein. We're in the talks, > we're in the same room. The man won't even say hello," > > A British embassy lunch yesterday afternoon was > attended by Adams, Trimble and several other party > leaders. > > But the Ulster Unionist was defiant. "He [Mr Adams] has > said nothing of any value inside the talks and is > merely running around with this story outside to > distract attention from his own failure," he claimed as > he arrived at the White House to see Clinton. > > But Trimble is coming under increasing pressure to > relent, with the Irish, British and US governments > united in seeking intense round-table negotiations > among all the parties in the coming two weeks. > > British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the sides > are "agonizingly close" to a resolution and has > indicated he will take a bigger personal role in the > talks to try to push for agreement. > > >-- >James Heartfield --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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