Video: Secretary Clinton With U.K. SOS for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson

 

Remarks With U.K. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson Before Their Meeting

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

March 20, 2012

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I am so pleased to have you here, Secretary. This has been a day of all kinds of matters related to Northern Ireland and to Ireland. And I’m delighted to have this chance to meet with you to hear further about the work that is being done to continue the reform efforts in Northern Ireland, and I appreciate greatly your being here for that opportunity.
SECRETARY PATERSON: Well, I would like to thank the Secretary very much for finding time in her very busy schedule, having already seen the First Minister and Deputy First Minister yesterday. We have a wonderful opportunity over the next couple of years for Northern Ireland to really show itself. We have the Golf Open, we’ve got the Titanic, that’s the Queen’s Jubilee, we have the Olympics, next year it’s the Fire and Police Games. And our whole ambition is to work really closely with the – twelve ministers presenting all now as it is today and helping rebuild (inaudible) develop private enterprise. And I know that shines through with what you would like to see happen.
SECRETARY CLINTON: That is music to my ears. (Laughter.) Thank you so much. Thank you all.

Secretary Clinton's Remarks With UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson Before Their Meeting

Remarks With UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson Before Their Meeting

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

October 19, 2010

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, it’s a great pleasure for the State Department to be hosting an investment conference on behalf of Northern Ireland and to have Secretary Paterson here. He is responsible for Northern Ireland in Prime Minister Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Clegg’s government. And it shows a real sign of support and concern that he would be here with me. And I’m looking forward to our conversation about his observations and ideas about the way forward.

SECRETARY PATERSON: Well, thank you very much, Secretary. It is absolutely tremendous that Secretary of State Clinton has organized this conference today. We got a wonderful opportunity in Northern Ireland to build on the process, which is being delivered by successive British, American, and Irish governments, and building up the private sector, helping private business is absolutely part of our program. So I’m really grateful to her and I think it’s a tremendous sign of the continuing interest of Secretary Clinton that we’re all here today. And I’m looking forward to getting on with our talks.

Thank you very much.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you, Secretary.

(Applause.)

QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, have you heard at all about the dissident activity in Northern Ireland?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, we’re going to talk about it with Secretary Paterson. Unfortunately, there will always be a small minority that is not willing to take another direction, and I know that the leadership in Northern Ireland, in Ireland, and certainly in the UK are very focused on that, because there’s such a positive story to tell, and we cannot permit a very few to undermine the efforts of so many. Thank you.