The Clinton administration will grant a visa to Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein MP for West Belfast, to enter the US from which he is barred officially for political offences. A State Department spokeswoman said: "A visa will be issued to Gerry Adams. I don't know yet about the details."
Mr Adams, his chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, and Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain arrive in Washington on September 6th and are expected to meet senior members of the administration for the first time since the first IRA ceasefire ended in February 1996. Mr Adams will not meet President Clinton.
The team will attend a gala $500-a-head fundraising dinner in New York. Sinn F ein team then splits up, with Mr Adams then goes to Massachusetts, Mr McGuinness to San Francisco and Mr O Caolain to Chicago.
A Sinn Fein spokesman last night welcomed the US government's decision to grant the visas, but said: "We have never doubted the commitment of the US administration to the peace process and never had any doubt these waivers would be granted."
Ulster Unionist Party security spokesman, Mr Ken Maginnis, said he believed the American decision to grant visas was premature.
Mr Ian Paisley Junior of the DUP last night condemned the decision as an "horrendous blunder by the USA" which had given Mr Adams "a visa to print money for the IRA".