- Title: USA: SINN FEIN LEADER GERRY ADAMS BEGINS FIVE-DAY VISIT
- Date: 2nd September 1997
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (RTV - ACCESS ALL) NEW YORK 1. GV: SINN FEIN PRESIDENT GERRY ADAMS AT PRESS CONFERENCE AT NEW YORK AIRPORT 0.07 2. MCU: ADAMS SAYING SINN FEIN IS PREPARED TO GO INTO TALKS TO LISTEN..THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ARE NOT REFEREES BUT PLAYERS IN THIS SITUATION BUT PARTICIPANTS (ENGLISH)/ PRESS CUTAWAY (2 SHOTS) 1.10 WASHINGTON D.C. 3. CU: ADAMS SAYING EVERYONE RECOGNISED THAT THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY. IT IT THE LAST OPPORTUNITY THIS CENTURY AND EVERYONE HAS TO BE USING THEIR INFLUENCE TO ENCOURAGE THE TWO GOVERNMENTS TO MOVE THE WHOLE PROCESS AHEAD (ENGLISH)/ ADAMS SAYING HE DOESN'T EXPECT THE US GOVERNMENT TO SHOW PREFERENCE TO SINN FEIN ABOVE ANY OTHER PARTY (ENGLISH)/ ADAMS AND SINN FEIN CHIEF NEGOTIATOR MARTIN MCGUINNESS WALKING INTO BUILDING 2.51 Initials s.3 - p.3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 17th September 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVADUUBBPI5WVIU2ZFMA01BVCZXP
- Story Text: INTRO: The leader of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, on a five-day visit to the United States, said on Tuesday all-party talks in Belfast offered the best hope of peace this century.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- Gerry Adams arrived in Washington late Tuesday (Sept 2) after technical problems delayed his flight from New York, and spoke briefly to a cheering Irish-American crowd on Capitol Hill.
Adams is due to meet in Washington and New York with high-ranking members of the Clinton administration and other prominent politicians, including New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
It is his first trip to the United States since IRA guerrillas in July announced a fresh cease-fire in their 28-year campaign to end British rule of Northern Ireland.
The visit takes place days before the start of all-party talks on the future of the province, to which Sinn Fein has been invited by Britain's new Labour government following the truce.
"Dialogue is the only way forward. It's only through dialogue and negotiation we will build a better situation," Adams told reporters at Kennedy International Airport, where he stopped on his way to Washington.
"We are in a peace negotiation mode. We don't intend for this opportunity to be wasted," he said. "This opportunity for peace clearly is the best one we're going to have this century.
"We have to ensure it isn't frittered away," he added.
Adams said the trip was designed both to raise funds and to mobilize public opinion to support Sinn Fein's goals.
Accompanying Adams are Sinn Fein's chief negotiator Martin McGuinness and Caoimhghin O Caolain, the first Sinn Fein member to enter the Republic of Ireland parliament.
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