Progress possible in North talks, says Clinton

PRESIDENT Clinton still holds an optimistic outlook on the multi party talks in Northern Ireland, stating last night that he can see circumstances where real progress can be made "if we get one or two breaks".

He called for a restoration of the IRA ceasefire so that everyone that needs to be, at the talks.

He outlined "the things that make me optimistic" at a meeting with the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, in the Oval Office in the White House.

He believed, he said, that they were on the right side of history "and I can see events that would make it possible for us to make real progress.

He had a lot of confidence in Senator George Mitchell continuing to chair the all party talks, but mostly he believed that the people of Northern Ireland wanted peace. The determination of the two governments also made him optimistic. "I think we will make it," he said.

President Clinton refused to get involved in the demand by the DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, to have the fringe loyalist parties excluded from the Belfast talks. "The only position I have taken on this whole thing is that the ceasefire has to be restored and the fullest participation of all the parties. I don't want to get into that."

On balance, he continued, what they wanted was the largest number of parties possible present at the talks. That was what they should look for.

Following a 30 minute meeting in a busy schedule yesterday, the Taoiseach told journalists that the Belfast talks had got off to "a very good start" when they resumed after the summer marching season.

Mr Bruton reiterated the president's view that he would like to see a new IRA ceasefire because, as long as there was the threat of violence, the negotiations were not going to work.

He said he had asked the president to renew his constructive and even handed interest and for all the behind the scenes influence he could exercise on all the parties to get them to move forward to substantive discussions and reach agreement within these substantive discussions as early as possible.

Confirming that President Clinton had assured him of his continuing commitment to the peace process, Mr Bruton said Mr Clinton was deeply engaged in the Irish issue. "He keeps himself informed on this issue on a daily basis," he added,

Asked if he was assured of Senator Mitchell's stewardship of the talks at least up to the presidential election in November, Mr Bruton replied that he expected he would. He had no reason to believe otherwise.

Irish and US officials signalled that the reason for the optimism of both leaders following the opening of the talks yesterday was that the Ulster Unionist Party had indicated a new willingness to make progress in the negotiations during private sessions.

Mr Bruton added that they had discussed European US relations at considerable length. They had a number of agreements, he stated, that they were seeking to make between the US and the EU of major economic and business importance. One of these was a customs agreement which would save business large sums of money on the extensive trade between the two continents.

Another issue was the mutual recognition of standards. There was a lot of duplication at present on standards because Europe and the US were setting them separately, said Mr Bruton. It would save a lot of money for business and public administration if such an agreement could be reached during the Irish Presidency.

He said he had been briefed by President Clinton on his earlier meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, on the Middle East peace process, with particular reference to the Syrian track, the outcome of the recent meeting between Mr Netanyahu and the PLO leader, Mr Arafat, and the prospects for re-opening negotiations so that there can be a comprehensive Middle East agreement.