Unionists opposed to Clinton pre-poll visit

A senior member of the UUP who supports the Northern Ireland Agreement has counselled against President Clinton visiting the North ahead of the May 22nd referendum.

Mr Reg Empey, a close confidant of the party leader, Mr David Trimble, warned that it would not be helpful for Mr Clinton to involve himself directly in promoting a Yes vote in the referendum.

Mr Clinton said he would only visit Northern Ireland before the referendum if such a trip had the support of the British and Irish governments and the parties to the agreement

Mr Empey said Mr Clinton would be welcome back in Northern Ireland, but after the referendum. "I think he should put off his visit to later in the year, until things have settled down, and we can focus on where we believe America can bring the most help to Northern Ireland, and that is in the economic field," he told BBC Radio Ulster yesterday.

"I think it might be misunderstood if he were to directly involve himself in an electoral process here in the province," Mr Empey added. People in Northern Ireland would want to make up their own minds without any suggestion of outside interference, he said.

The DUP deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, said it would be unacceptable for President Clinton to interfere in the referendum. "Having the president or leader of any country in Northern Ireland is of course welcome, providing they come on a friendly basis. But to come to be part of our internal politics is quite unacceptable. That is interference."

The SDLP chairman, Mr Jonathan Stephenson, said Mr Clinton would be welcome at any time. "I hope President Clinton does visit us here very soon, not to tell us what we should or should not do, but to underpin the tremendous international support which exists for what has been accomplished.

"The fact that the most influential politician in the world is willing to join us in looking forward to a new, better future is a measure of just what we have achieved." The Alliance leader, Lord Alderdice, said a visit by President Clinton could make an important contribution to the political climate in the North. "For him to return at this stage would be perfectly reasonable. He is a great campaigner and can make a positive contribution." Meanwhile, a Co Derry UUP councillor called yesterday on Mr Trimble to resign as party leader. Mr George Shiels, of Magherafelt Council, claimed Mr Trimble had misled the party about what type of agreement he would sign up to.

Mr Shiels told BBC Radio the agreement would mean "direct rule" from Dublin. "Our party leader has not led us, he has misled us. He said quite clearly he would not accept cross-Border institutions with executive powers, and he does a complete U-turn." He hoped the Ulster Unionist Council would reject the agreement on Saturday. "No doubt I will be supporting a new leader."

On the other hand, Ms Bernadette Sands McKevitt, vice-president of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, said "true republicans" were being sold out by leaders intent on portraying the agreement as a stepping stone towards a united Ireland.