USA: SINN FEIN LEADER GERRY ADAMS VISIT

(13 Mar 1995) English/Gaelic
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has delivered a speech to the first fundraising tour for his party allowed by the U-S government.
He's the leader of the political arm of the Irish Republican Army which last year said it was abandoning its 25 year terrorist campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland .
Gerry Adams urged the British government to recognize his U-S trip as a step forward toward peace in Northern Ireland and angrily denied suggestions that money would be used to renew terrorist violence.
Gerry Adams may not have got off to the best of starts in his fund-raising trip - he was an hour later for his first rally in New York and said he was suffering from influenza.
Adams, who arrived in the United States on Saturday, said that being allowed to raise funds would legitimise Sinn Fein in the eyes of Americans. He reiterated that any money raised during his trip would be used for political activities, and dismissed recent allegations to the contrary.
SOUNDBITE:
"We want to see all the guns permanently removed from Irish politics, that's our objective and this is a nonsense that mischievous people are throwing into it. Furthermore our auditing and accountancy on this issue will be transparent".
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams - Sinn Fein President.
The British Prime Minister, John Major, currently on an official visit to the Middle East, criticised the St. Patrick's Day meeting between Gerry Adams and President Clinton.
Adams told reporters the British government were wrong in thinking his visit to the U-S was a victory for Sinn Fein and a defeat for them. He called on John Major's government to be generous and flexible in their moves towards peace in Northern Ireland.
SOUNDBITE:
"Well I would call upon the British government to grasp the nettle of this issue we have made progress thus far, let's not squander it let's move it forward. I know those in the Unionist camp are being petulant about this and they need to be reminded that a change in the British government will not mean a change in the nature of the British problem in Ireland".
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams - Sinn Fein President
Over 400 Irish-Americans in the New York borough of Queens had paid $20 a head to hear Gerry Adams speak.
He told a cheering crowd that Sinn Fein had received equal treatment from President Clinton. Adams delivered a sharply worded speech, and even cracked a few jokes.
His audience it seems, weren't disappointed. Adams spoke of the recent climate of change in Northern Ireland's politics and the new opportunities for peace now available.
SOUNDBITE:
"I think if we look back over the last two years and we consider all the changes that have happened and we consider all the possibilities that have been opened up, and we consider perhaps, two years ago, would anyone have thought that was possible?"
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams - Sinn Fein leader.
And ahead of Friday's St Patrick's Day celebrations he had this to say in his native Gaelic:
SOUNDBITE:
"...anyway, very happy St. Patrick's Day now - (remainder of soundbite in Gaelic)
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams - Sinn Fein leader.
The IRA began a ceasefire on 1 September 1994 in its campaign to end British rule of Northern Ireland. Rival pro-British gunmen began their own truce in mid-October. All parties are studying peace proposals offered by the British and Irish governments as a basis for talks on Northern Ireland's future.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...

[@claudettepreisinger]

I am an American, with only 1/4 Irish blood in me....Still, the more I learn about Gerry Adams, the more I like him....I wish we had more leaders in our country who think the way he does.

[@andyweb7779]

He had quare colour in his hair back then.