By KUNA
London : Former US President Bill Clinton will visit Northern Ireland to mark the 10th anniversary of the Ulster peace agreement, it was confirmed Wednesday.
Clinton will be joined by Senator George Mitchell, who played a crucial role in brokering the 1998 accord, at a special event in Belfast in April, Northern Ireland officials said.
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Ian Paisley has not yet indicated whether he will attend the US-Ireland Alliance commemoration at Queen’s University, in Belfast.
The pro-British Democratic Unionist Party leader opposed the Belfast Agreement, which saw the early release of paramilitary prisoners.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein will be attending.
Miss Trina Vargo, President of the US-Ireland Alliance, welcomed the confirmation of the former American president’s visit.
She said in a statement “President Clinton’s involvement was crucial in bringing peace to Northern Ireland.” “I am sure that President Clinton’s presence will inspire the young leaders participating in this event to make their own contributions to the process and to the relationship between the US and the island of Ireland,” she added.
Other confirmed guests include General John de Chastelain, who oversaw paramilitary arms decommissioning, pro-British Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey and ex-Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy.
The US Government is helping to sponsor the event.
In conjunction with the Belfast plans, there will be a dinner in Dublin, in the Irish Republic, which will raise money for suicide prevention, the officials added.