    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [December 17, 1996]
    [Pages 2218-2220]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister John Bruton of Ireland
    and an Exchange With Reporters
    December 17, 1996

    Northern Ireland Peace Process

        The President. Let me say I'm delighted to have Prime Minister
    Bruton here again today, along with the members of his government, and
    we're going to talk about Northern Ireland today. And I want to
    reiterate my call for the IRA to institute a cease-fire in words as well
    as deeds. If they do that, I am convinced that Sinn Fein will be invited
    to participate in the talks, and we believe that substantive and
    inclusive peace talks are the only way to resolve this.
        Meanwhile, the talks go on. Senator Mitchell is doing a terrific
    job. And I want to say also a word of appreciation to the loyalists for
    holding the cease-fire. I think that's a very good thing. We can't make
    peace until we end violence, and that's what we're going to talk about
    today, how we can keep working on that.
        Q. Do they await the British elections, I mean, the question of
    movement and progress?
        The President. Maybe the Prime Minister ought to answer that.
        Prime Minister Bruton. I would like to say that I completely endorse
    what the President just said. On the contrary, I think an immediate
    cease-fire would have advantages that a postponed cease-fire wouldn't
    necessarily carry. I think it would set a policy position in regard to
    Sinn Fein's participation in talks in place before an election which
    would carry through into the next British Parliament in a much more
    durable way, whereas a postponed cease-fire after the election would go
    into the term of office of a new government, with perhaps a new
    opposition, and there would be much less certainty about the response.
        So I agree entirely with what the President has said. I think from
    every point of view, the point of view of their own movement, from the
    point of view of maximum opportunity, from the point of view of maximum
    durability of inclusive talks, a cease-fire now is the right choice for
    the republican movement to make. And I'm very, very heartened that the
    President has said that again in such clear terms.

    [[Page 2219]]

        The President. The British and the Irish Governments have made
    enormous efforts here, but we can't succeed--or they can't succeed
    unless there is a cease-fire, an end to the violence, and we ultimately
    have inclusive talks. And I'm convinced that will happen if there is a
    cease-fire.

    President's Legal Defense Fund

        Q. Mr. President, let me ask you about a domestic issue, sir. Is
    Charles Trie a friend of yours, and do you agree with the decision to
    return the money he attempted to deliver to your legal defense fund?
        The President. Yes, and yes.
        Q. Were you aware he was raising money for your legal defense fund?
        The President. Not till it came in. But I supported the decision. I
    was aware of the decision to return the money because--and I think in
    all these fundraising endeavors, the rules should be that all the checks
    should be checked to make sure that not only the fact but any even
    appearance of impropriety should be removed. And Mr. Cardozo was
    interested in the appearance of that. So was I, and that's why the
    decision was made. That's what our campaign did, and as the Democratic
    Party's people have said, that's what they should have done. But the
    campaign did it, the legal defense fund did it, and I think it was
    handled appropriately.
        Q. Is he a close friend of yours?
        The President. I've known him a long time. I knew him when he and
    his family came over and started a little restaurant about a mile from
    my home 20 years ago. And I saw them start with nothing and build up
    their family enterprise. They've worked very hard in this country, and
    they've done well.
        Q. Now we'll get a real story, when the Irish press comes in.
        The President. This will be like a Jesuitical examination.
    [Laughter]

    [At this point, one group of reporters left the room, and another group
    entered.]

    Northern Ireland Peace Process

        Q. When you meet with Mr. Bruton today, do you think--there has been
    a lot of discussion over just what Sinn Fein has to do in order to get
    to the table, but is there anything else that Britain can also do to
    encourage Sinn Fein to get to the table at this point?
        The President. Well, that's what--we're going to discuss all of
    that. I just want to say again that first I appreciate what the Irish
    and British Governments have done to date. Secondly, I still believe the
    IRA should immediately call a cease-fire in words as well as deeds. I'm
    convinced that Sinn Fein will be invited to participate in the talks if
    that happens. And I think inclusive talks are the only way to make
    peace.
        The talks will go on. Senator Mitchell, I think is doing a fine job,
    though the loyalists should be commended for holding the cease-fire. But
    peace will not come in the presence of violence; it must come with the
    absence of violence. I'm convinced of that. That's what we're going to
    talk about today.
        Q. Mr. President, in the event of an Irish cease-fire, do you
    believe--personally believe that Sinn Fein should get immediate and
    automatic access to the talks process?
        The President. Well, I believe that Sinn Fein would be invited to
    participate in the talks fairly soon thereafter. That's what I believe.
    But we have to talk about the details, you know. The Prime Minister has
    to keep me educated here. The texture of the Irish peace struggle is
    rather complex.
        Q. Mr. President, with all your foreign policy challenges in the
    second term, will Ireland still be a priority as it was in the first
    term?
        The President. Yes.
        Q. Mr. President, what was your reaction to this attempt to smear
    Martha Pope in some of the British newspapers?
        The President. She's a fine woman and a friend of mine. And I
    understand that the charge has been retracted. And if that's true,
    that's good. It should have been. We ought to have more false charges
    retracted in this world, and I'm pleased by that.
        Q. Do you know anything about a possible cease-fire that would
    inject new life into the peace talks?
        The President. I know nothing more than you do probably about that.
    We're going to talk about it. I know we're working for it, and we'll
    keep working for it.
        Q. Mr. President, there is a perception that the talks in Northern
    Ireland are going nowhere at the moment, that an agreement on
    decommissioning which looked close this week is not now likely in the
    immediate term. Are you as pessimistic as some people are in Northern
    Ireland?

    [[Page 2220]]

        The President. No, we can't afford pessimism. I mean, after all, if
    you just look at the whole sweep of events in the last 3 years or so and
    compare that to the previous 25 years, I still think that things are
    moving right along here. We're in a rough patch, but if we just keep at
    it, I think it will come out all right.
        Prime Minister Bruton. Exactly.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:05 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Charles Yah Lin Trie, chief
    executive officer, Diahatsu International Trading Co.; Michael H.
    Cardozo, executive director, Presidential Legal Expense Trust; George J.
    Mitchell, Special Adviser to the President and Secretary of State on
    Economic Initiatives for Ireland; and Martha Pope, Mr. Mitchell's
    deputy. A tape was not available for verification of the content of
    these remarks.