FORMER US president Bill Clinton has confirmed his attendance at celebrations in Belfast to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement in April.
Mr Clinton will join talks chairman former senator George Mitchell and other negotiators who were key to reaching agreement in 1998 including senior figures from the political parties except the DUP which is downplaying the anniversary.
Trina Vargo, president of the US-Ireland Alliance which is organising the celebration, said: "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."
Mr Clinton and Mr Mitchell will be joined by Gen John de Chastelain, head of the decommissioning body; Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, John Hume, Mark Durkan, Sir Reg Empey, David Andrews, Liz O'Donnell, Paul Murphy, Monica McWilliams, Lord John Alderdice, Dawn Purvis and David Adams.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, speaking in Belfast yesterday, said he was delighted to hear Mr Clinton would be in attendance.
"The agreement is 10 years old and there were very fine words and we are still trying to put them into practice.
"It may take time to fulfil the ideals that were expressed in the agreement."
The event with the negotiators of the Belfast Agreement will be moderated by BBC Northern Ireland presenter, Noel Thompson. The audience will consist of almost 100 alumni of the George J Mitchell Scholarship scheme from throughout Ireland.
The dinner following the event will include performances by Duke Special and Maura O'Connell, and a reading by Michael Longley.