PRESIDENT Bill Clinton is standing by the US ambassador to Ireland despite a reprimand for her treatment of subordinates over a US visa for Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams, the White House said yesterday.
Officials confirmed press reports that Secretary of State Mr Warren Christopher had upbraided ambassador Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith for retaliating against two diplomats who dissented from her 1994 recommendation to grant the visa.
"I'm not aware of anything that was wrong in the news account I saw," said White House press secretary Mr Mike McCurry.
But, asked if President Clinton was standing by Mrs Kennedy Smith, Mr McCurry said "Absolutely, she's been a very fine US ambassador ... The question I got was whether the president was confident in her service and he is."
Mrs Kennedy Smith, a political appointee, is the sister of Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and of the late US President John F Kennedy.
Officials refused to give details of the affair, citing US privacy laws. But the Washington Post said Christopher acted after receiving a report from the State Department inspector general accusing Mrs Kennedy Smith of improper conduct in the case.
The inspector charged in late December that she violated State Department regulations by retaliating against embassy consular affairs officer Mr James Callahan and public affairs officer Mr John Treacy.
The two had opposed her recommendation to give a visa to Mr Adams.
The Clinton administration has portrayed its decision to give visas to Mr Adams as a key factor in persuading the IRA to declare a ceasefire in August 1994 in its campaign to end British rule over Northern Ireland.