Political parties in Northern Ireland, with the exception of the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party, have broadly welcomed the announcement that President Clinton will visit the North and the Republic in early September.
The Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, welcomed Mr Clinton's decision to visit the North. Commenting before leaving for Washington, where she was due to brief White House staff, she said: "The people of Northern Ireland have achieved much on the road to peace, reconciliation and prosperity since his first visit in 1995. I look forward to thanking him for his unwavering commitment, through good and bad, and for his continued interest."
It was also announced yesterday that the presidential visit will be preceded by a visit by the House of Representatives Speaker, Mr Newt Gingrich, who will arrive in Belfast on August 12th on a fact-finding mission.
The only hostile reaction to the announcement of President Clinton's visit was from the Democratic Unionist Party's Assembly representative for East Belfast, Mr Sammy Wilson. He said the President was coming to the North "to view his devilish handiwork".
"Clinton has only one interest in Northern Ireland. In the past it was to help his election campaign; now it is to boost his damaged ego. At the end of the day we are pawns in his selfish game.
"It is distasteful to all right-thinking people that Clinton, who locks terrorists in America away for 40 years in solitary confinement or executes them, should be coming to seek praise for having even more bloody terrorists released and put into government in Northern Ireland." "During his last visit he aided and abetted the process of elevating IRA terrorists to the position of peace-makers and statesmen. He is now coming to witness their elevation to positions of government and their release from prison," Mr Wilson said.
The SDLP Assembly representative for West Belfast, Mr Alex Attwood, saw the visit as a unique opportunity for the people of the island to "acknowledge and applaud the commitment shown by the President to the peace process." The visit "confirms the economic opportunities that future American investment will bring". Referring to the 1995 presidential visit, which drew huge crowds to Belfast City Hall and College Green in Dublin, he said "the visit will be a replay of the best of days".
The Ulster Unionist Party representative for South Down, Mr Dermot Nesbitt, hoped Mr Clinton would take note of the political progress that had been achieved, with nationalist and unionist now working together in the Assembly. "President Clinton must use his influence to help to cement this development by transforming the current cease-fire into a permanent peace for the good of all the people of Northern Ireland." Sinn Fein's Assembly member for West Belfast, Ms Bairbre de Bruin, believed Mr Clinton would receive a warm welcome when he arrived in Belfast. "His decision to again visit Ireland is a further endorsement of the process and for those political leaders who have contributed to it in a positive manner," she said.
Mr Sean Neeson, the interim leader of the Alliance Party and Assembly member for East Antrim, has called on paramilitary groups to decommission their weapons before the visit. "President Clinton assisted parties associated with these paramilitary organisations to become involved in dialogue. Now is the time for meaningful payback," he said.