Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 / Mar. 17

Remarks at a Saint Patrick’s Day Ceremony With Prime Minister of Ireland and an Exchange With Reporters March 17, 1994

The President. It’s a great honor for me to between our two countries on the issue of be spending my second St. Patrick’s Day in a . row with the distinguished Prime Minister from At its heart, the declaration states that it is Ireland. He has a presentation to make and for the people of Ireland as a whole and alone, a few remarks, and then I’ll have a word or by agreement between the two parts, to exercise two, and we’ll answer your questions. their right of self-determination of the basis of Mr. Prime Minister. consent. That and the other principles of mutual Prime Minister Reynolds. Thank you. Thank respect, tolerance, and reconciliation which un- you again, and I’m really thrilled and delighted derline the declaration do not have an expiring and honored to be back again for a second visit date. Rather, in establishing them, we have to the White House, especially on this traditional sought to open a door for all parties to embrace day for all around the world. peace and enter the political process. In this presentation of shamrock that I’ll be In our efforts to secure a lasting settlement, making in a few moments, Mr. President, we we wish, as I said, to embrace all parties to symbolize the bonds of family, of history, and the conflict. We do so in the firm knowledge of common values that our two countries share. that the political process can and will resolve Because of the generations of Irish people who fundamental issues and bridge the impasse that have come to these shores, St. Patrick’s Day presently blocks the road to peace. is perhaps even more honored here than in Ire- It is our fervent wish, therefore, that violence land. Rightly and most importantly, today is a will end and that everyone will embrace the celebration not just for Irish America but for new and inclusive instruments of peace, dialog, all in this great Nation who share our common and negotiation that are available. We need a values of justice and democracy. positive decision from those concerned to enable We live in a time when ambitions for peace a general move in the next and much broader are tempered by the realization that old animos- phase of the peace process and to bring to an ities and deep distrust often live long in the end the isolation experienced by significant sec- human heart. They can give rise to terrible and tions of the community. prolonged violence. In this context it is both Mr. President, we greatly value your personal right and important that I should pay the warm- commitment to help to resolve the issue of est tribute to you, Mr. President, for your excep- Northern Ireland. Your support for this has been tional efforts to bring peace to the tragedies really inspiring. You share our understanding of of Bosnia and the Middle East. the need to bring all communities fully into We in Ireland know from direct experience the political fold in a manner consistent with that conflicts over territory, identity, and polit- upholding democratic principles. We take heart ical destiny can only be resolved through peace- in particular from your readiness to contribute ful negotiations. That profound belief informs to the peace process when and if needed. It everything that my government and I are doing is an enormous source of encouragement to all to resolve the problem of Northern Ireland. of us devoted to peace and reconciliation to Twenty-five years of conflict, the loss of over know that your advice and your assistance as 3,000 lives, and an immeasurable quota of a friend to all sides is as thoughtful as it is human suffering have not and cannot advance generous. For that you have our deepest thanks. the search for a lasting and equitable settlement. Peace comes dropping slow, Yeats once said. As you and I discussed, Mr. President, pri- But let us hope, Mr. President, that through vately this morning, there has been significant our combined efforts, on a day in the quite progress in our search for peace. Central to near future, the presentation of shamrock will this was the joint declaration signed last Decem- be made to you in the White House from an ber by the British Prime Minister, John Major, island uniquely dear to you and to your people and myself. This defines the common ground that has at last found peace.

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Mile buichos leat agus go n’eiri an bothair rick’s Day and every day in pursuit of peace duit. and prosperity for both our peoples in the spirit The President. Thank you so much, Mr. Prime of ‘‘no limit but the possible.’’ Minister, for the wonderful bowl of shamrocks Thank you very much. and for the sentiments and the convictions you Northern Ireland have just expressed. From the earliest days of our Republic the Q. Having been briefed now on the peace American dream has often been the story of process today by the Irish Prime Minister, what Irish-American achievement. I’m reminded of would you say now is the role of the United the words of the Irish poet Thomas Kinsella, States in helping the peace process along? And who urged that we accept, and I quote, ‘‘no more specifically, do you think that you should limit but the possible.’’ That is the spirit that perhaps urge Britain, not just Ireland but Brit- brought many Irish to our shores, and it en- ain, to go the extra mile—that may be the extra riches our lives still today. inch now—and perhaps talk to Sinn Fein, which Ireland has demonstrated its global commit- today has issued a very conciliatory statement ment to peace time and time again. And I want saying it doesn’t want to discuss constitutional to thank the Prime Minister publicly today for issues but just simply wants to talk to see what the work that has been done with the United the way forward can be? Nations in Lebanon and with its continuing The President. Let me say, first of all, I had peacekeeping role in Somalia. But nowhere is a conversation with the Prime Minister this that commitment more evident than in the ef- morning that is not all that different from the forts this Prime Minister has made in Northern conversation I had with Prime Minister Major. Ireland. I believe both of them are committed to keeping We have seen historic progress since the this process going. You know as well as I do and the British Prime Minister made what the obstacles for inclusion are. I was en- their agreement, and historic progress since couraged by the report I have received. I have Prime Minister Reynolds was here last year. not actually read the statement, but I am quite That progress is in great measure the responsi- encouraged by the report I have received of bility of Prime Minister Reynolds and Prime Gerry Adams’ statement today. It comes at a Minister Major. They have dealt with consider- good time, and I hope it will have a good effect. able challenges in their own countries to pursue Q. Under what circumstances would you en- this course, and we applaud them. visage granting another visa to Mr. Adams to The joint declaration they signed on Decem- visit the United States? ber 15th remains the best chance for a future The President. I think it’s premature to dis- of tolerance and reconciliation in Northern Ire- cuss that. I think now what—the issue now is land, especially in the wake of the bomb threats what is going to be the role of Sinn Fein in against the London airports. I call upon all those the ongoing peace effort. Will they join? I hope who practice violence for political aims to lay they will. I still believe that the decision I made down their arms. Once again, I urge those who on the visa was the correct one. We all have have yet to do so to endorse the joint declara- to take some chances for peace. I think when tion as the best, indeed, the only way forward. he came here, he saw that the Irish in America And once again, Mr. Prime Minister, I pledge want peace. They want him to be a part of the support of the United States for your coura- the peace process, but they want peace. And geous peace initiative. I think that there was a sense of what a political Across our country today, in parades, in class- process can be and how it can work. rooms, in churches, Americans are rejoicing in And so I think we have served a good purpose the kinship and the unique friendship between in doing that. And I’m very hopeful. I’m more our nations and our shared heritage and our hopeful today as a result of the report I’ve re- shared values. Tonight the Prime Minister and ceived about his comments. But I think it would I will join what promises to be a lively celebra- be premature for me to say anything about any tion of Ireland here at the White House, with other issuance, because the one thing we don’t Irish-Americans from all across America. I look want to do in this country—not just in Northern forward to the celebration, and I look forward Ireland but in the Middle East as well or any to working with the Prime Minister on St. Pat- other place where we’re working for peace

480 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 / Mar. 17 where others are at odds—is to do anything Minister of Great Britain and the Prime Min- to disrupt the process. We’re trying to help ister of Ireland reaffirm their commitment to make the peace, not to interrupt it. the process, and let’s see if we get a few breaks. Q. Would you address Irish-Americans today, that may on St. Patrick’s Day especially be lis- Whitewater Investigation tening to what is said here at the White House, Q. Mr. President, on the Hill today you may who feel incumbent to contribute money to the hear from some Members, even Democrats, that IRA and for Republican forces in Ireland, since the prospect of hearings on Whitewater is inevi- a great amount of the money that goes into table. What will you tell them? that is coming from the United States? The President. That it’s—the same thing I’ve The President. I would hope all Irish-Ameri- always said: It’s up to Congress. I read a book cans would embrace the declaration and the the other night that in the early part of our peace process. That’s what I think they ought century, one of our first four or five Presidents, to do. a $40 mirror was bought for the White House Q. Given your role as President of the United that was bought in another country, and the States and given your relationship with the Congress in the early 1800’s spent several thou- Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, and also your rela- sand dollars on hearings looking into this $40 tionship with the British Prime Minister, what mirror. So I don’t know that—it’s up to the active role do you think the United States can Congress. They’re an independent and coequal play in trying to find peace in Northern Ireland? branch of Government, and they ought to do The President. Well, right now I think we whatever it is they think is the right thing to do. ought to give Prime Minister Reynolds a chance to work with Prime Minister Major to keep Bosnia pushing it forward. I thought that we had a role to play in the issuance of the visa because Q. Are you encouraged by Bosnia, sir? I thought it would make a statement that the The President. Yes, I am encouraged. United States is searching for peace, wanted Thank you. to give Mr. Adams a chance to have his voice heard here, make his statements here, articulate NOTE: The President spoke at 11:59 a.m. in the his concerns here, see the political process here, Roosevelt Room at the White House. In his re- and hear from Irish-Americans that we support marks, he referred to Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn peace. I think that was the major thing that Fein. Prime Minister Reynolds’ closing remarks we could do at this moment. I think now we’ve in Gaelic translate as, ‘‘A thousand thanks for ev- seen a very heartening statement, apparently, erything you have done, and I wish you every suc- by Mr. Adams today. I’ve had both the Prime cess.’’

Remarks at the Celebration of Ireland Dinner March 17, 1994

We are in the grip of the day, aren’t we? was inaugurated as President of the United [Laughter] Thank you so much. Prime Minister States. Andrew Jackson was the only President and Mrs. Reynolds and to all our guests tonight, in our Nation’s history whose parents were both a warm welcome. Ceade mile failte. immigrants to America. They came from Tonight we sought to honor the Prime Min- Carrickfergus, a little town near Belfast. And ister, his wife, and his family, and his family their son grew up to be a great Democrat and of fellow Irish men and women, in a way in- a man of the people. When ‘‘Old Hickory,’’ as spired by the warm and convivial hospitality of he was called then, opened this house to his the Irish themselves that they have brought to people, so many came that the furniture was our shores now through the ages. crushed in the excitement. That’s probably why There was a grand party in this house a long so many of you have to stand tonight. [Laughter] time ago, in 1829, when the first Irish-American The crowd squeezed so closely around the new

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