President Clinton intends to end his eight years in the White House with a farewell visit to Ireland, the scene of his most clear-cut foreign policy success.
The Taoiseach confirmed yesterday that he expects Mr Clinton to come to Ireland close to Christmas, shortly before he leaves the White House at the end of his two four-year terms as President.
"It is his intention to come before his term of office is over", Mr Ahern said yesterday after a 20-minute meeting with the President. No details of the planned trip have been worked out, although Mr Clinton is expected to visit Northern Ireland as well as the Republic.
The President's planned visit is seen as an attempt to highlight the positive at the end of an often scandal-ridden period in the Oval Office. White House officials hope that his third visit to Ireland as President will take place against a backdrop of political stability in the North.
The North's First and Deputy First Ministers, Mr David Trimble and Mr Seamus Mallon, are expected to use the opportunity to invite Mr Clinton formally to Northern Ireland when they meet him next week on Capitol Hill.
The meeting is expected to take place on Wednesday morning, after which there may be a press conference confirming Mr Clinton's visit.
Mr Ahern briefed President Clinton yesterday on the deadlock over policing reform in the North, admitting to reporters afterwards: "We haven't found a way to square the circle . . . I think between the President, Tony Blair and myself we have to see if we can find a way of doing this."
The Taoiseach said that he had discussed the difficulties with Mr Blair in New York on Wednesday.