BLAIR AND CLINTON FOCUS ON DEFEAT OF TERRORISM
Blair Clinton focus on defeat of terrorism
By Desmond McCartan
PRIME Minister Tony Blair and President Bill Clinton cited the Omagh bombing as they called for greater international focus on steps to counter terrorism.
Mr Blair, expressing personal support for the beleaguered US leader, briefed him on Northern Ireland developments at the end of his lightning visit to New York. Their private discussion came at the end of a political seminar at New York University.
It followed Mr Blair's offer, in a speech to the UN General Assembly, to host an international conference on develop-ing anti-terrorism strategies in London next month.
In his UN speech. President Clinton called on the world to tackle terrorism, referring to the Omagh atrocity but failing to answer criticism of US retaliatory attacks on Sudan and Afghanistan in August.
He said nations had to show more co-operation in the fight against what he termed "the world's problem".
"For us to weaken our opposition to terrorism would hand the enemies of peace a victory."he said.
"It is a grave misconception to see terrorism as only an American problem. Terror is not a way to tomorrow, it's only a throwback to yesterday.
"The killing of innocents is not a social programme. '
Mr Blair told the General Assembly that Britain was prepared to stage a high-level conference of the Group of Eight leading industrial nations to tackle fund-raising for terrorist causes.
Referring to the Government's swift action in legislating after the Omagh attack, he also pointed to progress in Northern Ireland as proof that the most intractable problems could be addressed successfully.
By Desmond McCartan
PRIME Minister Tony Blair and President Bill Clinton cited the Omagh bombing as they called for greater international focus on steps to counter terrorism.
Mr Blair, expressing personal support for the beleaguered US leader, briefed him on Northern Ireland developments at the end of his lightning visit to New York. Their private discussion came at the end of a political seminar at New York University.
It followed Mr Blair's offer, in a speech to the UN General Assembly, to host an international conference on develop-ing anti-terrorism strategies in London next month.
In his UN speech. President Clinton called on the world to tackle terrorism, referring to the Omagh atrocity but failing to answer criticism of US retaliatory attacks on Sudan and Afghanistan in August.
He said nations had to show more co-operation in the fight against what he termed "the world's problem".
"For us to weaken our opposition to terrorism would hand the enemies of peace a victory."he said.
"It is a grave misconception to see terrorism as only an American problem. Terror is not a way to tomorrow, it's only a throwback to yesterday.
"The killing of innocents is not a social programme. '
Mr Blair told the General Assembly that Britain was prepared to stage a high-level conference of the Group of Eight leading industrial nations to tackle fund-raising for terrorist causes.
Referring to the Government's swift action in legislating after the Omagh attack, he also pointed to progress in Northern Ireland as proof that the most intractable problems could be addressed successfully.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0428
Published Date: 22-Sep-98
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