USA: REACTION TO PEACE REFERENDUM YES VICTORY IN IRELAND

(23 May 1998) English/Nat U-S President Bill Clinton has led world leaders in congratulating the overwhelming approval of the Stormont peace accord, saying the 'yes' vote turns the dream of peace in Northern Ireland into reality. In a taped message which was broadcast to Ireland, Clinton, who has Irish roots, said the 71 percent vote in favor of the accord shows that the Irish had chosen hope over fear. Meanwhile the United States' largely Catholic American-Irish population welcomed the results of the referendum, seeing a chance for peace in the land whose 30 years of bloody violence prompted many of them to emigrate. President Clinton tonight welcomed the Northern Ireland referendum vote as the joining of "hope to history". His message, which was recorded on Friday, was broadcast on Saturday in his weekly radio address from Camp David, once the results of the referendum were known. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Good morning today we are rejoicing at the news from across the Atlantic. The people of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have decisively approved the April 10 peace accord. It is the culmination of a spring time of peace and it must be the beginning of a long season of happiness and prosperity. I salute the leaders who stood for hope against fear the future against the past, unity against division. Most of all I congratulate the Irish people for having the courage and wisdom to vote for a brighter future for their children. As of today peace is no longer a dream, it is a reality. You have indeed joined hope to history all over America the eyes of Irish Americans, and indeed all our peace loving citizens are smiling. We are very proud of you. We pledge that we will work with you to build a better future for all of your people and ours." SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, U-S President Meanwhile a wave of euphoria swept through the country, which is home to thousands of Irish-Americans. At O'Neil's Pub in Manhattan, New York, a largely Catholic crowd had gathered to watch the referendum results on television. They celebrated throughout the day - all embracing the best chance for peace in their troubled homeland. Among the crowd, was a strong crowd republicans - many supporters of the Irish Republican Army's political wing, Sinn Fein. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The first thing of course now that people are going to focus on are elections on June 25th to fill the 128 seats in new assembly" SUPER CAPTION: Larry Downes, President of Friends of Sinn Fein But some among the crowd say there are still some pressing issues that must be properly resolved before the gap that has divided the country for three decades is completely closed. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Well I think you have to put it back in context. My family have lost two members to loyalists and British security forces. We are one of 450 families who have never been recognised as victims. The people who killed my family members and killed all those Catholics and Nationalists have never even been in court. They've never been in jail, they've never been charged with anything and they're walking around the streets in uniform adjudicating over my life, and then they have the temerity to complain about republican and loyalist prisoners being released. Republican and Loyalist prisoners are part of the problem and they must be part of the solution." SUPER CAPTION: Oiftin MacBride, Irish-American And while difficulties may lie ahead, for many Saturday's results were a day simply to savour victory and realise that the 30 year conflict which has claimed 3-thousand-4-hundred lives may finally be over. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...