Extracts from a Question and Answer session between US President Bill Clinton and US journalists on 13 April 1998
Context notes
The USA had a large population of Irish-Americans, descended from people who had emigrated to the USA since the 1600s. As a result, US Presidents tended to be very interested in the situation in Ireland, particularly Democratic Presidents as the Democratic Party had a large support among Irish-Americans. When he was first elected in 1995, President Clinton was relatively critical of the British government in Northern Ireland. However, over time his position changed and he worked to support the peace process alongside the UK and Irish governments and the political parties in Northern Ireland.
Transcript
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 10, 1998
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE PROCESS
The Oval Office
2:30 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. After a 30-year winter of sectarian violence, Northern Ireland today has the promise of a springtime of peace. The agreement that has emerged from the Northern Ireland peace talks opens the way for the people there to build a society based on enduring peace, justice, and equality. The vision and commitment of the participants in the talks has made real the prayers for peace on both sides of the Atlantic and both sides of the peace line.
On this Good Friday, we give thanks for the work of Prime Minister Ahern and Prime Minister Blair, two truly remarkable leaders who did an unbelievable job in these talks. We give thanks for the work of Senator George Mitchell, who was brilliant and unbelievably patient and long suffering. We give thanks especially to the leaders of the parties, for they had to make the courageous decisions. We also thank Prime Minister Blair and Prime Minister Ahern’s predecessors for starting and nurturing the process of peace.
Q Mr. President, what promises or assurances did the United States make to help move this process along?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, from the very beginning all I have tried to do is to help create the conditions in which peace could develop, and then to do whatever I was asked to do or whatever seemed helpful to encourage and support the parties in the search for peace. And that’s all I did last night.
Q Did you offer any assistance in terms of financial aid, and what did you think —
THE PRESIDENT: No.
Q~ where did you really weigh in in all those phone calls.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, the answer to your first question is no. Now, we have, as all of you know, an international fund for Ireland, which I have strongly supported. And I do believe that there will be very significant economic benefits flowing to the people of Ireland, both Protestant and Catholic, in Northern Ireland and in the Republic, if this peace takes hold. But there was no spec fic financial assurance sought, nor was any given.
In terms of the give and take, you know, I made a lot of phone calls last night and up until this morning – actually until right before the last session. But I think the specifics are not all that important. I did what I was asked to do. Again, I was largely guided by the work of Prime Minister Blair and Prime Minister Ahern. I had a very — a long talk, in the middle of the night for me, last night with Senator Mitchell about his work there, and I’m looking forward to seeing him early next week I just did what I thought would help. And I tried to do what I was asked to do.
Q Mr. President, will you be going to Belfast now that they’ve reached a deal?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I really haven’t had much discussion about it. No decision has been made. This is not even a day to think about that. This is a day to celebrate the achievement of the people and the peace talks.
Q President Clinton, de you feel somewhat vindicated for the policies that – including giving
Gerry Adams a visa here — that have come under scrutiny and at times have brought you some derision from other parts of the world for being too provocative.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, when I did it, I thought it would help to create a climate in which peace might emerge. And I believe it was a positive thing to do. I believed it then, I believe it now.
But make no mistake about it. Whenever peace is made by people anywhere, the credit belongs to the parties whose own lives and livelihoods and children and future are on the line. And that’s the way I feel today. If anything that I or the United States was able to do was helpful, especially because of our historic ties to Great Britain and because of the enormous number of Irish Americans we have and the feelings we have for the Irish and their troubles, then I am very grateful. But the credit for this belongs to the people who made the decisions.
« Return to What led to the Belfast Good Friday Agreement? (KS5)Questions
Content
- According to Clinton, who deserves most credit for the Agreement?
- What actions did Clinton take to support the peace process?
Inferences from the content
- Is it reasonable to infer that Clinton’s contribution was more one of influence than specific actions?
Inferences from the context
- Can anything be inferred from the timing of this statement?
Lines of Argument
- Which historian could use this document as supporting evidence?