President Clinton does not expect the current difficulties in Northern Ireland will be resolved while he is there, according to his chief foreign policy adviser.
Mr Sandy Berger, who was briefing the White House press corps on the trip, said Mr Clinton would be spending "only a few hours in Northern Ireland and so there would be no opportunity to do what George Mitchell did over months".
The President Mr Clinton would not be negotiating current issues. However, he would be contributing to "a climate where agreements could be reached".
The White House welcomed the recent IRA statement about putting arms beyond use, but further steps needed to be taken by the IRA to engage with Gen de Chastelain, Mr Berger said. Asked if there was any significance in the choice of Dundalk as the venue for Mr Clinton's main speech in the Republic, and the fact that the "Real IRA" appeared to have some links with the town, Mr Berger said the main reason was that Dundalk had been hard hit by the Troubles but was now "a model of economic regeneration".
In his speech in the Odyssey centre in Belfast, Mr Clinton will urge the people of Northern Ireland to focus on the benefits of the Good Friday accord.
The US President, accompanied by Mrs Hillary Clinton and their daughter, Chelsea, will arrive in Dublin on Tuesday. Mr Clinton will consult with the Taoiseach and leaders of political parties and meet the President, Mrs McAleese, before departing for Dundalk.
He will spend Tuesday night in Belfast and on Wednesday will meet Mr David Trimble and Mr Seamus Mallon and other political leaders at Stormont. He will also meet the British Prime Minister.