The President, Mrs McAleese, ) will become the first Head of State to visit Scotland since devolution established a national Executive and Parliament in Edinburgh earlier this year. Her two-day official visit to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen highlights the close relations which Scotland and Ireland share under new political realignments within Britain, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

The visit's diplomatic importance will be symbolised by the President's inauguration of the Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies at the University of Aberdeen, and by the conferral on her of the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws.

On arrival at Edinburgh airport yesterday morning by Aer Lingus, Mrs McAleese, accompanied by her husband Martin, was greeted by the Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh, Mr Eric Milligan. The principal members of her entourage were the Ambassador to Britain, Mr Ted Barrington, and the recently appointed Consul-General to Scotland, Mr Dan Mulhall.

The President travelled to Bute House to meet Scotland's first Minister, Mr Donald Dewar, who, on an official visit last month to Dublin, agreed with the Taosieach, Mr Bertie Ahern, on a series of bilateral ministerial and official contacts between the two countries.

In Edinburgh the President visited the new Museum of Scotland to view exhibits illustrating Scotland's early connections with Ireland. Afterwards she attended a reception in the Signet Library hosted by the Executive. There the President, a lawyer by profession, met members of the legal profession.

In the afternoon the President travelled to Glasgow to the City Chambers, where the Lord Provost, Mr Alex Mosson, hosted a civic reception.

At the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons the President received an Honorary Fellowship and attended, along with the First Minister, a dinner celebrating the College's 400th anniversary in the Baronial Hall of the University of Strathclyde.

Today, the President will travel from Queen's Street Station by special train, the TurboStar, to Aberdeen, where she will be greeted by the Lord Provost, Ms Margaret Smith. At King's College she will be welcomed by the Chancellor, Lord Wilson of Tillyorn, and the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor C. Duncan Rice.

After the graduation ceremony, at which Mr John Reid, the Secretary of State for Scotland will be present, she will meet the Director of the Irish-Scottish Studies Centre, Professor T.M. Devine, and members of staff. In the evening she will attend a Civic Dinner hosted by the Lord Provost.