RELATIVES of Derry's Bloody Sunday victims will today ask the US ambassador to Ireland to seek official support from President Clinton for their calls for a new inquiry into the massacre.
Their request to Ms Jean Kennedy Smith will be made at a meeting with the ambassador in Dublin this evening.
It follows last Saturday's statement by Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew in which he ruled out a British government apology to the victims families.
Sir Patrick's statement came 24 hours after he had met relatives of the victims and SDLP leader Mr John Hume.
During their visit to Dublin today, the relatives will meet the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, and the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, as well as Fianna Fail leader Mr Bertie Ahern who described Sir Patrick's comment as "disgraceful".
Mr Tony Doherty, who will attend the meetings as a relative of one of the men shot dead, said since it happened 25 years ago, Bloody Sunday had been an international issue.
"It is on that basis that we will approach our meeting with Jean Kennedy Smith. It is very important to us that the American administration, both here and in the United States, is made fully aware of the plight of the relatives and we feel confident that there is support in the Clinton administration for a new inquiry.
"At our meeting with the ambassador, which is at her request, we will ask her to impress upon the American administration and on President Clinton himself the need for his support for a new inquiry into, Bloody Sunday."