The White House has moved to clear former senior officials of charges by former US ambassador to London, Mr Raymond Seitz, that confidential information from London "seemed to find its way to the IRA". However, there are no plans to investigate the charges.
In its first reaction to the criticism in Mr Seitz's book, the White House defended the US ambassador to Ireland, Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith, who was described in the book as "an ardent apologist for the IRA". President Clinton reacted by expressing his "full confidence" in Mrs Kennedy Smith but the White House press office said there would be no comment on "intelligence matters".
This refusal to address the charges of passing on information to the IRA could be seen as embarrassing for the two officials most involved in Irish policy, former National Security adviser, Mr Tony Lake, and his deputy, Ms Nancy Soderberg, both of whom are now in new posts.
Yesterday, the White House press office made it clear that concerning the passing of intelligence, "we are confident that there is no basis for these accusations". Asked if this meant Mr Lake and Ms Soderberg, the response was "that's correct".
An administration official later said that "in terms of how the President feels, these are the people who brought the peace process to where it is now - the first face-to-face talks in 75 years. That speaks for itself". If former ambassador Raymond Seitz "wishes to rehash a policy dispute that he lost, that's fine but we believe we made the right choice. Seitz is entitled to say what he wants to say, but we feel this is outrageous". But as regards the personal accusations, "there is no question but we reject them", an official said. It was confirmed that Mr Seitz did not submit his book in advance to the State Department. As a former employee he is not obliged to do so, but if classified information was used in the book, this could be a serious crime under US law.
One source said that if Mr Seitz had submitted a draft of his book in advance, there would have been "many discussions" about its content. Concerning the recent sectarian killings in Northern Ireland, the White House said they were "all the more reason for the political parties to push on and not let a small minority derail them".
The State Department spokesman, Mr Jamie Rubin, said in a briefing for the foreign press that concerning the proposal by the two governments for negotiations, the US is "not going to get into a position of trying to support or oppose or adjust the detailed proposals put forward". Asked by The Irish Times if this meant there would never be an intervention by the US to help the talks along, Mr Rubin replied that the talks should be given a chance and "that these new proposals be given serious consideration." The chairman of Americans for a New Irish Agenda, Mr Frank Durkan, has issued a statement describing the proposal on heads of agreement as "a significant step backwards by the British and Irish governments from the Framework Document which created the initial basis for the Mitchell talks and led to the IRA ceasefires." Mr Durkan said that Irish-Americans and millions of other US supporters of peace and democratic rights for the people of the whole island of Ireland call on President Clinton and Congress "to reject the backward steps proposed in the Heads of Agreement Document".
The US Ambassador to Ireland, Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith, in a statement yesterday said: "The accusations that Mr Seitz has made are outrageous and inflammatory, particularly at a time of very delicate peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. The peace process speaks for itself. The fact is that talks are under way and the outlines of a potential settlement are being discussed. The parties themselves deserve primary credit for this, but I think history will record that President Clinton and his administration have played a very significant role." Editorial comment: page 17