PRESIDENT Robinson's visit to the United States this week is likely to be dominated by media interest in the peace negotiations and her intentions about the top United Nations post.
Both questions will certainly be raised during a live CNN television interview and the two press conferences she will give during her time in Washington where she will be accompanied by the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring.
Although Mrs Robinson has visited the US many times since becoming President, this will be the first state visit and as such will bring her to the White House for a meeting with President Clinton and senior figures in his administration.
The first two days of the US visit, in New York, are regarded as "private", although she will be making a major speech to the prestigious Foreign Policy Association. She will also have a meeting there with the newly appointed US Secretary of Commerce, Mr Mickey Kantor, who is in charge of the American Irish investment conference in Philadelphia in the autumn.
The presidential party flies to New York tomorrow on an Aer Lingus flight arriving at 2.30 p.m. local time. She will be met by the Irish Ambassador, Mr Dermot Gallagher, and go to Fitzpatrick's Hotel in midtown Manhattan where she will meet Mr Kantor.
That night, the President will address the annual dinner of the Foreign Policy Association. The speech will be closely studied to see if there are any significant references to the future role of the United Nations.
She will also have an opportunity to meet the US Ambassador to the UN, Ms Madeleine Albright, who is receiving an award from the association. Ms Albright is regarded as having an influential role in advising President Clinton on possible successors to the Secretary General, Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali.
The official part of the President's visit begins on Thursday with a welcoming ceremony at Fort Myer in the Arlington suburb of Washington. This will be followed by the meeting in the White House with President Clinton for about an hour. The two presidents will then give a joint press conference.
This will be followed by a lunch hosted by Vice President Gore at the State Department. Later, Mrs Robinson will go to Capitol Hill to meet the House of Representatives Committee on International Relations headed by a Republican congresssman, Mr Ben Gilman, who has been active in the Northern Ireland peace process.
There is some disappointment, on the Democratic side that the President will not address Congress as was done during the last state visit by an Irish president, Mr de Valera, in 1964. But this honour is going to the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, when he comes to Washington in September.
On Thursday evening, President Clinton will host a state dinner for President Robinson. About 400 guests have been invited for the meal, which will be served in a marquee on the White House lawn and will be followed by entertainment.
This will mark the end of the official part of the visit to Washington, but on Friday President Robinson will have a busy schedule visiting the Supreme Court. Arlington National Cemetery and Georgetown University.
The day will begin with a breakfast meeting on Capitol Hill with Speaker Newt Gingrich and the congressional leadership which will not include the presidential contender, Mr Bob Dole, who is due to resign as majority leader of the Senate this week.
President Robinson will later meet US and foreign correspondents at the National Press Club where she will make a speech on the theme of "modern Ireland", and answer questions.
On Saturday, the President will visit the Vietnam War Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and then meet community workers in more deprived areas in south east Washington, where many of the African American majority population live.
The visit will end with a reception for the Irish community at the ambassador's residence. The President and her party will then leave to fly back to Ireland.