Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson Before Their Meeting

20 March 2012

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesperson

Treaty Room
Washington, D.C.

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.