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Remarks to Business Leaders in Belfast November 30, 1995

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Remarks to Business Leaders in Belfast November 30, 1995 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 / Nov. 30 Violence has no place at the table of democracy ``It is not easy to forgive and forget, especially and no role in the future of this land.'' By the for those who have lost a family member or same token, you must also be willing to say a close friend. However, if people could look to those who renounce violence and who do to the future with hope instead of the past with take their own risks for peace that they are fear, we can only be moving in the right direc- entitled to be full participants in the democratic tion.'' I couldn't have said it nearly as well. process. Those who do show the courage to I believe you can summon the strength to break with the past are entitled to their stake keep moving forward. After all, you have come in the future. so far already. You have braved so many dan- As leaders for peace become invested in the gers. You have endured so many sacrifices. Sure- process, as leaders make compromises and risk ly, there can be no turning back. But peace the backlash, people begin more and moreÐ must be waged with a warrior's resolve, bravely, I have seen this all over the worldÐthey begin proudly, and relentlessly, secure in the knowl- more and more to develop a common interest edge of the single greatest difference between in each other's success, in standing together war and peace: In peace, everybody can win. rather than standing apart. They realize that the I was overcome today, when I landed in my sooner they get to true peace, with all the re- plane and I drove with Hillary up the highway wards it brings, the sooner it will be easier to to come here, by the phenomenal beauty of discredit and destroy the forces of destruction. the place and the spirit and the good will of We will stand with those who take risks for the people. Northern Ireland has a chance not peace in Northern Ireland and around the only to begin anew but to be a real inspiration world. I pledge that we will do all we can, to the rest of the world, a model of progress through the International Fund for Ireland and through tolerance. in many other ways, to ease your load. If you Let us join our efforts together as never be- walk down this path continually, you will not fore to make that dream a reality. Let us join walk alone. We are entering an era of possibility our prayers in this season of peace for a future unparalleled in all of human history. If you enter of peace in this good land. that era determined to build a new age of peace, Thank you very much. the United States of America will proudly stand with you. NOTE: The President spoke at 11 a.m. on the fac- But at the end of the day, as with all free tory floor. In his remarks, he referred to Catherine people, your future is for you to decide. Your Hamill and David Sterritt, students who intro- destiny is for you to determine. Only you can duced the President; Patrick Dougan, president, decide between division and unity, between hard and Ronnie Lewis, senior shop steward, Mackie lives and high hopes. Only you can create a International; Richard Spring, T.D., Foreign Min- lasting peace. It takes courage to let go of famil- ister of Ireland; Sir Patrick Mayhew, M.P., Sec- iar divisions. It takes faith to walk down a new retary of State for Northern Ireland, United King- road. But when we see the bright gaze of these dom; David Trimble, M.P., leader, Ulster Union- children, we know the risk is worth the reward. ist Party; John Hume, M.P., leader, Social Demo- I have been so touched by the thousands of cratic and Labour Party; Gerry Adams, leader, letters I have received from schoolchildren here, Sinn Fein; David Ervine, leader, Progressive telling me what peace means to them. One Unionist Party; and Gary McMichael, leader, Ul- young girl from Ballymena wrote, and I quote, ster Democratic Party. Remarks to Business Leaders in Belfast November 30, 1995 The President. Well, first of all, I want to that have been said. And I thank you for quoting thank all of you, all the panelists and Mr. the King James Version of the Bible. I read Thompson and your M.P. for the fine things all the more modern ones, and sometimes 1807 Nov. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 they're easier to understand, but they're not And you said it yourself, sir. I think you said nearly as eloquent. So King James is still my you have in this consortium 200 companies with favorite, too. 900 employees; that's an average number of em- I would like to make just three points very ployees somewhere between 4 and 5. But it briefly. First, in the presence of the Members you look at the costÐwhat did you sayÐ131¤2 of Congress who are here, I want to thank them million poundsÐI think I can still do exchange for funding the International Fund for Ireland. rates, even though I've beenÐPresidents are In the United States, it was really a congres- disabled from all practical things, you know. sional initiative. For many years, the PresidentÐ [Laughter] They don't get to buy food or drive until I became President, no President ever cars or exchange money, but that's pretty low even made a recommendation to spend the cost per job creation. And so I think that's very, money because it was thought to be unusual. very important. And I applaud all of you for But I can tell you, now, even though this con- what you're doing. nection was never made before, we fund pro- The second point I want to make is that the grams through the Agency for International De- cease-fire, I'm convinced, made possible a lot velopment around the world in countries much of this growth. And some of you have said that. poorer than Northern Ireland which are essen- And you talked about how it's also changing tially trying to do the same things. the whole image of Northern Ireland. One of the things that I hope will come out of my We know now that if you really want to grow trip here today is that people who have never jobs in places where there's not a lot of capital, been here will see the country in a different you have to set up a mechanism for getting light. You know, we owe that to the media. capital into entrepreneurial people who may be But people all over the world will be seeing in one- or two- or three- or four- or five-person this trip tonight, and they will see your whole businesses. And if you do it right, you can create country in a different light, they will see people an enormous, enormous number of successful like you. They will see you on television; they businesses and, in so doing, create the demand will say, ``Those are the kind of people I for the products and services that will be pro- wouldn't mind being involved with''. And I think duced. that will help. But it's a real argument for con- So I think what you are doing here is really tinuing the peace. an extraordinary thing. And I want to thank And the third thing I would say is thatÐ the Members of Congress who have consistently you might want to ask Senator Mitchell to com- supported the International Fund for Ireland ment on thisÐis the conference we had, the who are here and to say that I hope, frankly, Washington conference last May. I think it's im- that you will become, as we move forward down portant to do more things like that, not just the road to peaceÐand Senator Mitchell and in the United States but elsewhere, so that peo- the others who worked so hard on the invest- ple are aware, in a tangible way, of the grass- ment conference over on our side of the roots, not only the grassroots commitment to oceanÐand you enjoy more success, I hope you peace but the extraordinary array of com- will become a model for a lot of other countries petence, the abilities, the ideas, that are coming as well who are struggling to build a system out of here. Because I thinkÐand I think as of free enterprise and give their energetic peo- you do that, you'll become more integrated into ple the kinds of opportunities that you have the global economy in a positive way and it found. will be more difficult for anyone to turn the We see it even in our own countryÐsome clock back on you. places that others had given up on, thought, George, would you likeÐÐ you know, where there would never be any eco- nomic opportunity there againÐthe most suc- [At this point, George Mitchell, Special Adviser cessful thing that has been done even in our to the President and Secretary of State on Eco- own country is starting things like the Inter- nomic Initiatives for Ireland, made brief re- national Fund for Ireland. But it works better marks.] here, what you are doing through these commu- The President. Let me just say, I want to nity groups, than almost any other place that leave on a little bit lighter note.
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