W2C-002 Belfast Telegraph 2-2.txt
Clinton slams Britain Vincent Kearney (political correspondent)

The Belfast Telegraph today obtained a copy of a letter from US President Bill Clinton to a former Congressman who arrives in Ireland tomorrow to campaign for a peace envoy to be sent to the province.

In the letter, the President supports the envoy proposal, pledges to take a more active role in helping to end the violence and criticises the role of the British Government.

It was sent to Democrat Bruce Morrison, who is head of a group of four Irish Americans who will meet political leaders in Dublin and Belfast during a three day visit this week.

Colleague

A former law school colleague of Mr. Clinton and a prominent member of the Irish-American lobby, Mr. Morrison will report directly to the President on his findings.
He is a keen supporter of the envoy option, which the President backed during his election campaign and his recommendations will be viewed as highly influential.
In the letter obtained by the Belfast Telegraph, Mr. Clinton sets out his policy towards Northern Ireland.

"I believe the appointment of a US special envoy to Northern Ireland could be a catalyst in the effort to secure a lasting peace," Mr. Clinton wrote.
"We believe that the British Government must do more to oppose the job discrimination that has created unemployment levels two and a half times higher for Catholic workers than Protestant workers.
"There can be no lasting settlement in Northern Ireland until such discrimination is ended.

Safeguards

"We also believe that the British Government must establish more effective safeguards against the wanton use of lethal force and against further collusion between the security forces and Protestant paramilitary groups."

During their visit the Irish-American group will meet political leaders in Dublin, including Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, Foreign Affairs Minister Dick Spring.

In Belfast he will meet Northern Ireland Secretary of State Sir Patrick Mayhew and representatives of all political parties, including Sinn Fein.

The fact-finding visit comes in the aftermath of an upsurge in loyalist violence and comments by Albert Reynolds that the violence underlined the urgent need for inter-party talks to be resumed.
