Government officials anticipated a “period of turbulence” following the election of Bill Clinton as US president in 1992 because of views he had expressed about Northern Ireland.
In the letter to an Irish-American group, written just weeks before he won the presidential vote, Mr Clinton had called on the UK Government to “establish more effective safeguards against the wanton use of lethal force”.
The letter was circulated among officials at the Northern Ireland Office who suggested the UK Ambassador to the US should seek an early meeting with Mr Clinton so his views were not left to “calcify, unchallenged”.
The letter, a copy of which is contained in recently declassified files at the Public Record Office in Belfast, was forwarded from the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington to senior civil servants in October 1992.
In the letter, Mr Clinton thanked the chairman of the Irish-American group for support during the election campaign and set out the position the soon-to-be president would take on Northern Ireland.
I am sure you are right to anticipate a period of turbulence now Clinton is elected— John Chilcot, NIO
It said: “Senator Gore and I share the goal of all Irish-Americans for peace in Northern Ireland.
“We believe that the United States must reflect this concern more effectively in its foreign policy.
“We condemn the violence and bloodshed which has scarred Northern Ireland and oppose all attempts to achieve political goals through terror and violence.
“I believe the appointment of a US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland could be a catalyst in the effort to secure a lasting peace.”
The letter continued: “We believe the British Government must do more to oppose the job discrimination that has created unemployment levels two and a half times higher for Catholic workers than Protestant workers.
“We also believe the British Government must establish more effective safeguards against the wanton use of lethal force and against further collusion between the security forces and Protestant paramilitary groups.
“The people of Northern Ireland have endured more than two decades of bloodshed and devastation.
“A realistic solution to the suffering can only be achieved through political negotiations and the consent of the people, not through further acts of violence.
“Senator Gore and I look forward to working with you in the years ahead to achieve these goals and bring peace and justice to Northern Ireland.”
A memo sent by John Chilcot, a senior civil service in the Northern Ireland Office on November 4, said the reference to lethal force was “particularly unwelcome”.
He added: “Although Clinton’s Northern Ireland agenda is unwelcome, I sense it might well have been worse – and particularly so if the Embassy had not been energetic on our behalf.
“I am sure you are right to anticipate a period of turbulence now Clinton is elected and I wholeheartedly agree that it would be useful to invite the Ambassador to map out a possible strategy on the handling of Northern Ireland issues.
“There might be a strong case for the Ambassador trying to see Clinton as soon as possible so that his views on Northern Ireland are not left to calcify, unchallenged in the run up to his period in office.”
During his time in office, President Clinton developed a strong personal interest in the Northern Ireland peace process and made a number of visits to the region, including becoming the first sitting US president to visit Northern Ireland in November 1995.
