[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 8 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
[Pages 300-301]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Northern Ireland Peace Process

February 20, 1998

    Today's decision to suspend Sinn Fein from the Northern Ireland 
peace talks shows that the UK and Irish Governments are committed to an 
inclusive process but one that reaffirms that it is unacceptable to mix 
politics and violence.
    Peace in Northern Ireland is best served if all the political 
leaders of Northern Ireland

[[Page 301]]

work to find common ground to make common cause for peace. The United 
States stands with those who support peace and against those extremists 
on both sides who will use all the means at their disposal to sabotage a 
peaceful settlement that the vast majority of both communities, and 
countries, support. I call on Sinn Fein to take the necessary steps to 
rejoin the talks and for all parties to reject violence and demonstrate 
in word and deed commitment to the Mitchell principles that exclusively 
peaceful means are the only way forward.