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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release September 17, 1997

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Northern Ireland Peace Talks

We are greatly encouraged by today's decision by Unionist and Loyalist representatives to enter the Northern Ireland talks process at Belfast. The leaders who made this decision showed both courage in rejecting the extremists who resort to violence and a real commitment to the effort to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland. We have no illusions that the road forward will be easy, but a significant milestone has been passed. We call upon all the participants to translate their commitment to participate in peaceful negotiation into the willingness to compromise to find a lasting and just settlement.

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