THE ongoing political stalemate in Northern Ireland is jeopardising a planned visit by world leaders to Belfast to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
The collapse of last week’s talks between political party leaders in the North, with no signs yet of a solution being found, may risk an intended visit by Bill and Hillary Clinton for the anniversary event.
For former US president and his wife, a former US secretary of state, have been invited to attend a conference at Queen’s University on April 10, marking the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday agreement, the Sunday Times reports.
However, the Clintons’ attendance is understood to depend on a Stormont executive being reformed prior to their arrival.
The conference has been organised by the Senator George J Mitchell Institute For Global Peace, Security And Justice and will form the centrepiece of anniversary events. Bill Clinton and Mitchell are to receive the Freedom of Belfast, while Hillary Clinton is to receive an honorary doctorate.
The Clintons were expected to be joined by every surviving key figure from the 1998 peace settlement, including Tony Blair, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, talks chairman George Mitchell, and the leaders of every Northern Ireland party who participated, with the exception of former SDLP leader John Hume, who is unwell.
According to reports, the Clintons usually confirm attendance at international events two weeks in advance.
If they are to attend the April peace conference a Stormont deal would need to be in place by the final week of March.
A no show by the US power couple is expected to also put the attendance of other political leaders in doubt.
Both Sinn Féin and the DUP were in negotiations last week, aimed at ending a 13-month impasse at Stormont.
The talks collapsed on February 14.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was due to hold a meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin today (Monday, February 19).
Ms McDonald is also expected to meet Prime Minister Theresa May in London this week.
See More: Good Friday Agreement, Stormont, The Clintons
