Briton Raps Meeting Of Clinton, Ira Ally But Sinn Fein Leader Sees Trip As Step Toward N. Irish Peace

The leader of the IRA-allied Sinn Fein party urged the British government on Sunday to recognize his U.S. fundraising trip as a step toward peace in Northern Ireland.

Half a world away, British Prime Minister John Major criticized the St. Patrick’s Day meeting between Gerry Adams and President Clinton, the first-ever between an ally of the Irish Republican Army and a U.S. president.

Adams, who arrived in the United States on Saturday, said that being allowed to raise funds would legitimize Sinn Fein in the eyes of Americans.

“The president of the United States did the right thing, again, when he accorded Sinn Fein equality of treatment,” he told a cheering crowd of about 400 Irish-Americans at a rally in the New York City borough of Queens. “That’s what we need to see in our own country.”

Later, Adams spoke in Albany, N.Y., at a rally of about 500 people.

He has said any money raised during his 10-day trip would be used for political activities.

Major was in Jerusalem as part of his pledge to contribute to Middle East peace through closer ties with Israel and aid to the Palestinians.

He was asked why he would not welcome a meeting between Clinton and Adams if he were willing to meet with Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat. He called that a “mischievous comparison.”

“Terrorism has now been renounced by Chairman Arafat. I’ve not seen it comprehensively denounced by Mr. Adams,” Major said. “I’m afraid that Sinn Fein are still directly associated with a fully formed terrorist organization.”

But Adams said Sinn Fein is looking for a British government that “instead of being petulant, seems to be progressive, … generous and flexible.

“The British government sees this visit as a victory for Sinn Fein and a defeat for them, but I don’t think that’s the way they should be looking at it,” Adams said. “This isn’t keeping score - one up, one down.”