Former US president BillClinton says becoming involved in the Northern Ireland peace process was a 'leap of faith' and that sometimes 'we had to wing it' Agreement25
Former US president Bill Clinton has said his decision to become involved in the Northern Ireland peace process was a "leap of faith".He was on a panel with Sir Tony Blair and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
The agreement, signed on 10 April 1998, was designed to bring an end to the Troubles and established power-sharing institutions at Stormont that involved nationalists and unionists governing Northern Ireland together.The three-day Agreement 25 conference at Queen's University Belfast is hosting many global figures, including Mr Clinton and his wife Hillary.
"It is not a sign of weakness to resolve your differences by democratic and peaceful means," he said. The former US secretary of state, who is chancellor of Queen's University, said the credit for peace ultimately went to the brave people of Northern Ireland who took risks.Sir Tony Blair recalled the final week of the talks when he and Mr Ahern went to Belfast, even though the taoiseach's mother had just died.
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