President Clinton will visit Omagh during his trip to Ireland next week to express his sympathy with the families of victims of the recent bombing. The change in the Northern Ireland part of his programme was announced by a White House spokesman yesterday at Martha's Vineyard where the President is on holiday.
The spokesman said that in Omagh the President will "express his sympathy for the families there and for the community that lost so many loved ones". He added: "He also sees this as a way of continuing to support the peace process, making it clear that those who would use violence to stop the peace process will not succeed."
The President's original itinerary allowed for stops next Thursday in Belfast, where he would meet the new Assembly, and Armagh where there would be a reconciliation event. He would then travel to Dublin in the evening. The detour to Omagh will make this a long day for the President as he will leave Moscow very early that morning at the end of his Russian visit and summit with President Yeltsin.
Mr Clinton issued a strong statement condemning the Omagh bombing as a "barbaric act" soon after it happened.
Mr Clinton will be offered the Freedom of Limerick but only if his Irish itinerary includes an expected two-hour stopover in the city, writes Arthur Quinlan. Members of Limerick City Council had a preliminary meeting on Monday to consider the matter. While they were in favour, they deferred the matter until a presidential visit is confirmed.