Clinton to encourage peace negotiators

Former US president Bill Clinton was likely to urge all sides to continue to work hard, in a keynote address on the Northern Ireland peace process today.

Mr Clinton was delivering a lecture in Derry to mark John Hume’s appointment to the Tip O’Neill Chair of Peace Studies at the Magee campus of the University of Ulster.

His address to a specially invited audience in the college’s Great Hall will mark his third trip to Derry.

Mr Clinton first visited the city in November 1995, while he was US president. He also stopped off there in May 2001.

The former president is coming to Derry at the invitation of Nobel Peace Laureate John Hume and it is understood he has waived his usual guest speaker fee for the event.

Mr Hume said: “My intention in my professorship of that chair is to bring international figures to our city to speak about their experience, particularly in the field of peace and conflict resolution.

“And my hope is that we will make a major contribution to peace in the world and, in particular, to areas of conflict.”

Mr Clinton is likely to use his speech to offer encouragement to those involved in the Northern Ireland peace process.

The process stalled after the power-sharing executive was suspended last autumn after allegations of an IRA spy ring at Stormont.

Meanwhile, peace campaigners are expected to protest against Mr Clinton’s visit to the city.

The Anti-War Coalition group has claimed it will provide “an appropriate welcome for the war mongering ex-president”.

It is understood Mr Clinton will leave the city shortly after delivering his speech.

He is due to meet Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in Dublin tomorrow morning.