Former US President Bill Clinton today urged all sides in Northern Ireland to continue in the quest for peace.
Addressing thousands of people in Derry he said the city had come a long way since his last visit there six years ago.
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He said: "I came here to reaffirm my beliefs that the Good Friday Agreement is still the right path to the future for peace and reconciliation.
"I hope that all of you will continue to work for a peaceful, just, fair, shared future for all the children."Mr Clinton's message came in the midst of a hard-fought General Election campaign in the North which could decide the future of the Agreement.
Heckled throughout his address by a small group of noisy Socialist protesters, he called on people to "look to the far side of revenge".
"Look, I know not everything that was supposed to have happened has happened," he said from a platform in the Guildhall Square.
"I know not every provision of the Good Friday Accord has been implemented. I know people on both sides still have concerns and fears and frustrations."But I will just ask you to consider where you are now compared to where you were."
He spoke of the resurgence of conflict in the Middle East and said: "You compare it to what you have enjoyed for the last six years in Northern Ireland.
"Don't turn back. Re-dedicate yourselves to the path of peace."
Mr Clinton, who enjoyed an unambiguously welcoming audience in his previous visit to Derry in November 1995, said the demonstration against the arms trade and sanction in Iraq was proof of how "you have achieved so much progress, you can even afford some political dissent in the audience that's nothing to do with Ireland whatsoever".
However during his brief speech, he rejected the protesters claims from the stage and said: "If they can shout me down, I can shout them down - and I have the microphone," to cheers from the rest of the crowd.
Mr Clinton, who was accompanied by his daughter Chelsea, was welcomed to the city in front of dignitaries including Foyle MP Mr John Hume and Sinn Fein President Mr Gerry Adams on the platform and his party colleague Mr Martin McGuinness in the crowd.
Mr Hume said: "I just didn't come to welcome President Clinton and his daughter, but to express to him our deep gratitude and for the outstanding support and work that he did for our peace process.
"When you consider that he had the most powerful office in the world and right at the top of his agenda was peace on our streets. Our debt to him is historic."