Trimble opposes Kerry on Northern Ireland

WASHINGTON, March 15 (UPI) -- Nobel winner David Trimble said Monday he disagreed with Sen. John Kerry's approach to Northern Ireland modeled on former President Clinton's line.

"Clinton was very much admired, but his record was not clean in aiding the political process," Trimble, a member of the British Parliament and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, told an audience at the Heritage Foundation.

In summer 1999, then-President Clinton advised the former administration in Northern Ireland to walk away from the peace process if the commitments by the paramilitary organizations to decommission weapons were not kept. The organizations still have not completely decommissioned their weapons, but Trimble said Clinton's advice would have led to a greater disaster.

"President Bush sent a point man to Northern Ireland in 2001, and brought diplomacy to bear," said Trimble.

Trimble noted that Kerry's position on Northern Ireland is closer to Clinton's position than to President Bush's but decommissioning weapons is not Kerry's top priority.

"If the objective is to achieve a peaceful and democratic Northern Ireland, we must wind up paramilitary operations," said Trimble.