    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 15, 1999]
    [Pages 2097-2098]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Report on Implementation of the Good Friday Accord
    November 15, 1999

        I am heartened by George Mitchell's
    interim report issued in Belfast today, stating that he is increasingly
    confident that a way will be found to resolve the current impasse in
    implementing the Good Friday accord. I look forward to the parties'
    statements on their positions in the next day or so.
        Senator Mitchell has concluded that
    the pro-agreement parties and the governments share the view that
    devolution should occur and the political institutions should be
    established at the earliest possible date. He has also concluded that it
    is common ground that decommissioning of paramilitary weapons should
    occur as quickly

    [[Page 2098]]

    as possible and that the Independent International Commission on
    Decommissioning, led by General de Chastelain, should play the central role in achieving this, under
    the terms of the Good Friday accord.
        I applaud the persistence that the parties have shown through the
    last 10 weeks of grueling negotiations. Now the parties must move
    forward to implement the agreement in full and carry out their
    obligations as spelled out in the Good Friday accord.
        I want to express my personal appreciation to George
    Mitchell for his remarkable work.