LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: Peace in Northern Ireland has been a major policy goal of the Clinton administration. CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us with reaction from the White House to today's key development. Good afternoon, Kelly.</s>KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Linda. Well, not too long after Saturday's vote, President Clinton worked the phones, calling David Trimble, Gerry Adams and all the other leaders involved in the peace process, telling them they have shown the courage to move forward. U.S. officials also say he told them that they should just keep at it. Earlier today, Mr. Clinton called today's developments historic, and he also said that the Northern Ireland peace process is now back on track in. In a written statement, he said -- quote -- "This is a giant step toward fulfillment of the historic promise of the Good Friday Accord: to provide self-government to all the people, on the basis of equality, consent and use of exclusively peaceful means." Now U.S. officials do concede that the vote was close and that a large number of Protestants are still skeptical of whether or not the Irish Republican Army will definitely keep up its commitment to disarm, but U.S. officials believe the parties, the leaders have made difficult choices, and that should lead to momentum for the peace process. For Mr. Clinton himself, today's developments are certainly personally gratifying. He has been working on this issue since 1994, when he angered the British government by granting a visa to Gerry Adams to come here to the United States. After that, he named a U.S. Senator, George Mitchell, to mediate the peace talks, and then he worked the phones in the final hours as the parties came up with the Good Friday Peace Accords. So cautious optimism here at the White House. Kelly Wallace, CNN, reporting live from the White House.</s>STOUFFER: Kelly, thank you,
Reaction from White House on Today's Key Development in Northern Ireland