[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 22 (Monday, June 5, 2000)]
[Pages 1243-1244]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Ulster Unionist Council Vote in Northern Ireland

May 27, 2000

    I am delighted that, with today's historic developments, the 
Northern Ireland peace process is back on track. I congratulate David 
Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Council on their decision to return to 
self-government in Northern Ireland. This is a giant step toward 
fulfillment of the historic promise of the Good Friday accord to provide 
self-government to all the people on the basis of equality, consent, and 
the use of exclusively peaceful means. The parties are now ready to 
reenter the Executive and Legislative Assembly in the coming days. It is 
now possible for the politics of conflict to be transformed into the 
politics of consensus. I applaud the leadership of Tony Blair, Bertie 
Ahern, and all the parties. The wind is back in the sails of peace in 
Northern Ireland.

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