Daily Appointments Schedule for Secy. of State Clinton for Tues. March 17, 2009.
10:00 a.m. -- Meeting with Gerry Adams, President of Sein Fein.
Secy. Clinton: "I’m delighted to welcome Gerry Adams to
the State Department. I was delighted also to meet with him, I think,
every year as a senator from New York. And I’m looking forward to
meeting with him and other officials of Northern Ireland and the
British Government today as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and we talk
about how we’re going to continue to support the devolution of power
and authority and the peace and prosperity of the island of Ireland."
10:50
a.m. -- Attend
President Obama's meeting with Taoiseach (Head of State) of
Ireland
Brian Cowen, at the White House.
According to the office of the Taoiseach, the two leaders "are expected to focus on the global economic crisis, as well as recent developments in Northern Ireland and bilateral relations between Ireland and the United States...The Taoiseach will then present the President with the gift of shamrock in a Waterford Crystal bowl, to symbolize the friendship and deep ties between Ireland and the United States".
2:00
p.m. -- Meeting with Shaun
Woodward, Secy. of State for Northern Ireland.
2:30
p.m. -- Meeting with Peter
Robinson, First Minister of Northern Ireland
and Martin McGuinness, Dep. First Min. of Northern Ireland.
7:00
p.m. -- Attend The
President and Mrs. Obama’s Reception in honor of the Prime Minister of Ireland
and Mrs. Cowen, at the White House.
OTHER Foreign Affairs-related EVENT Pelosi's St. Patricks LUNCH --- The Irish Head of State, Brian Cowan will have lunch on Capitol Hill hosted by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. This will be attended by President Obama and senior US senators and congressmen.
BIO BRIEFS ON TODAY'S FOREIGN LEADERS IN WASHINGON
Brian Cowan, Taoiseach of Ireland since May 2008. This position is the Head of State and essentially equal to the role of Prime Minister. Born 1960. Appointed as Tánaiste and re-appointed as Minister for Finance June, 2007; appointed Min. for Finance 2004; Served as Min. for Foreign Affairs from
2000 - 2004; Min. for Health and Children from
1997 - 2000; Min. for Transport, Energy and
Communications from 1993 -1994; Min. for Labour
1992 -1993.
Gerry Adams -- is the President of Sinn Féin. Born 1948 in a working class area of West Belfast (oldest of ten), where he continues to reside with his wife and son. 1960's: worked as bartender, started to get involved in activism. 1972: Jailed on the Maidstone, a British prison ship. Released, 1972, at 24, to join the IRA delegation that met the British gov. in London, participated in peace talks. 1973 to 1977: Arrested and held again.1983: Elected as President of Sinn Fein. According to his Sinn Fein profile: "Gerry Adams is widely acclaimed for his crucial role in laying the groundwork for the peace process in Ireland and for his continuing efforts in the building of a stable, democratically negotiated peace settlement" 1993: Worked with John Hume and other parties on reviving the Irish Peace Initiative leading to Downing Street Declaration and the Joint Framework Document. Sinn Fein profile continues: "The strategy adopted by Sinn Fein leadership, headed by Gerry Adams, played a significant part in the Irish Republican Army's courageous announcement on 31 Aug. 1994 of 'a complete cessation of military operations'. " This work is said to be the catalyst that later produced the Belfast Agreement or 'Good Friday Agreement'.
Martin McGuinness, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. Born 1950. According to his Sinn Fein profile: "He became involved in the Civil Rights Movement in Derry after October 5th,
1968 and joined Sinn Fein in 1970.
Since Martin was elected to the Ard
Comhairle (National Executive) of Sinn Fein, he has played a major role in
promoting and supporting the strategy of the current peace process. He was a
leading representative in the 1972 talks with the then British Secretary of
State, William Whitelaw, in London. In 1982 Martin McGuinness was elected to the short-lived Stormont assembly" He met with Pres. Bill Clinton (along with Gerry Adams), during Clinton's visit to Belfast
in 1995; Represented the Party with European leaders; Member of
Sinn Feinis delegation to the Dublin Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. He became Sinn Féin's chief negotiator in critical time leading up to Belfast Agreement.