THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                        (Tegucigalpa, Honduras)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                      March 9, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Medal of Freedom for George Mitchell

President Clinton will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Senator George Mitchell at the White House on March 17, 1999 as part of the annual St. Patrick's Day observance. The Medal of Freedom is this nation's highest civilian honor, and it is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary accomplishments of Senator Mitchell.

As judge, lawmaker and statesman, George Mitchell has devoted his life to the determined pursuit of the common good. No one contributed more than he to bringing about the Good Friday peace accord in Northern Ireland last year. In displaying exceptional qualities as a patient listener, determined chairman, and above all, a fair man, he built the trust essential to reaching an agreement among eight parties and two governments. He has helped bring the people of Northern Ireland closer to lasting peace than they have been in thirty years of sectarian conflict, and he has given inspiration to others around the world seeking to resolve seemingly intractable disputes in their nations.

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