Former Northern Ireland Secretary Ms Mowlam is confident the Belfast Agreement will survive what she describes as the "destabilising" effects of the General Election in Northern Ireland.
Speaking in New York, where she was being honoured for her role in the Northern Ireland peace process, Ms Mowlam said: "At present it is another difficult time and another deadline. I think we just need to keep it in perspective until after the elections at the beginning of June.''
"I believe that the agreement has stood and will continue to stand the test of time. The people support it which is absolutely crucial,'' she said.
"Sometimes we forget that the bottle is half full as opposed to half empty.'' She also praised Northern Ireland secretary Mr John Reid, who took over from Mr Peter Mandelson when he resigned over the Hinduja brothers affair. "I think John Reid is good news. He has got all the right qualifications,'' she said.
Ms Mowlam was receiving the Initiative for Peace Award in New York from the National Committee on American Foreign Policy for her work in Northern Ireland.
The last recipient of the award was George Mitchell, the American senator who helped hammer out the deal which led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
PA