President Clinton has offered to do anything he can to "save" the Belfast Agreement. While describing the present impasse as "very serious", he told a press conference: "I'm still banking we'll get it [the agreement] to work out."
He continued: "I intend to do whatever I can to save it [the agreement]. I hope and pray that it will be saved, because the Good Friday Accords (sic) were good when the people voted for them . . . and, although the differences are profound, they are as nothing compared with the cost of losing."
The President appealed to "those who march and those who are angry" to remember that a majority in both communities in Northern Ireland had voted for the agreement. "I want everybody to think about how far we have come . . . How in goodness' name can we let this peace process fall apart?"
He refused to answer a question on whether the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, would be permitted to visit the US to raise funds if the agreement failed. He confirmed that he was in "intense contact" with both the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern. If the agreement did not work out, there would be "plenty of time" to answer this question and others, he said.