PRESIDENT Clinton will discuss the future of the UN with the President, Mrs Robinson, when they meet here today at the start of her State visit. However the sensitive issue of her possible candidature as the next secretary general will be avoided.
President Clinton has already begun confidential discussions with world leaders on a possible replacement for the present holder, the Egyptian, Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali, whose term expires at the end of this year.
But it is considered very unlikely that the name of Mrs Robinson as a possible successor has come up at this level, although the White House is aware of the speculation surrounding her.
Instead, President Clinton is expected to ask Mrs Robinson for her ideas on the reform of the UN and its financial problems.
He will have been briefed on her major speech in New York on Tuesday to the Foreign Policy Association where she expressed concern that the UN was under threat from the negative policies of some large countries such as the US, although she did not mention it by name.
In Northern Ireland, President Clinton is aware of the constitutional constraints on Mrs Robinson in discussing the present situation concerning the peace negotiations. Instead, he will want to hear more about her efforts to encourage reconciliation between the divided communities.
He met Mrs Robinson during his visit to Dublin last December. Insiders say that he finds her intriguing" and even sees some resemblances to Mrs Hillary Clinton in their strong mutual interest in promoting the welfare of children and women.
President Robinson said in a live interview on CNN's World View programme it was "wrong to say she had been "approached" about filling the post of secretary general of the UN. She was "not a candidate" and she did not know if there would be a vacancy.
Asked by the interviewer if she would be "interested" if the post of secretary general came up, Mrs Robinson said again: "I am not a candidate for it and that is really me. I am very committed to supporting the United Nations. I'm relaxed about doing it because I'm cot a candidate. I do it as President of Ireland."
Pressed by the interviewer if the reports that she has been approached about the UN post were false, the President replied: "I am just saying that I am not a candidate."
Earlier in the interview President Robinson was asked if Mr George Mitchell was the right person to chair the all party talks in view of the criticism of the Rev Ian Paisley. She replied that "he is greatly admired in Ireland" and she listed his achievements in organising the Washington economic conference and producing the report on decommissioning.
Asked if she was optimistic about the talks, the President said that we had never been at this point before when the parties were around the table. She hoped the IRA would renew its ceasefire as soon as possible.
There was still a great need for trust to be built up. The ordinary people yearned for a continuation of peace and stability but it was not easy for the politicians - "it is hard to move even a tiny inch."