Presentation will take place at New York St Patrick's Day ceremony

By Sean O'Driscoll, in Washington

FORMER US President Bill Clinton is to accept an award for his peace efforts in Northern Ireland at a St Patrick's week celebration in New York next year.

Senator George Mitchell will present the award on behalf of the Irish American Democrats lobby group, and organisers hope that David Trimble, Mark Durkan and other Northern Ireland politicians will attend.

The ceremony, most likely in the St Regis hotel in New York, is being timed for the annual St Patrick's Day visit to the US by political leaders from the Republic and Northern Ireland.

Mr Clinton is expected to speak on the need to reaffirm commitment to the Good Friday Agreement following the suspension of Northern Ireland's power sharing government and Assembly.

Senator Mitchell, who oversaw talks leading up the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, has said that he would like to present the award to his former President.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton, is to visit Enniskillen next year to mark the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Mrs Clinton, now a Senator representing New York, is to visit the Clinton Peace Centre, which was built on the site of the 1987 Enniskillen bombing.

The centre was named in honour of Bill Clinton's contribution to the peace process and houses several local business and peace building ventures.

Ms Clinton will also be guest of honour at a gala dinner in the Manor House in Killadeas.

The Clintons are no strangers to Enniskillen - Clinton visited the peace centre last May with his daughter Chelsea, to unveil a new window. Mrs Clinton also visited later in the summer.

Irish American Democrats spokeswoman, Stella O'Leary, said that both events next year showed the Clintons' unwavering commitment to the Irish peace process.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2002