A SPOKESMAN for President Clinton has said Mr Gerry Adams has not gone far enough in committing his party to supporting the peace principles of Senator George Mitchell. "It stopped short of what the United States government would like to see, which is a pledge by the IRA to recommence the ceasefire," the presidential spokesman, Mr Mike McCurry, said.
Nevertheless, he added, the statement by the Sinn Fein president was significant because it embraced the Mitchell principles.
Mr McCurry said the all party talks due to begin on June 10th were very important. "We believe Sinn Fein ought to be at the table. That is why it is important for the IRA to reinstitute the ceasefire immediately. We think it important that all parties commit to exclusively democratic and peaceful means to influence the negotiating process.
He said that the talks "offer a historic opportunity and we urge all parties to seize that opportunity and engage constructively in negotiations on Northern Ireland's future". We continue to believe that it is important that Sinn Fein be at the table and we urge the IRA to restore the ceasefire."