Visit of Prime Minister Lynch of Ireland Press Statement.

The President met today with Prime Minister Jack Lynch of Ireland. Prime Minister Lynch, in addition to being the Head of Government of Ireland, is for the last half of 1979 also the President of the European Council of Heads of State or of Government of the Nine countries of the European Community.

The President and the Prime Minister reviewed the close relations between their two countries and discussed a number of key world issues which are of particular concern to the European Community, with which the United States enjoys close cooperation, based on common interests and values.

The President and the Prime Minister also discussed at length the tragic communal problems in Northern Ireland. They condemned support for organizations engaged directly or indirectly in campaigns of violence which only delays the day when peace and reconciliation can come to Northern Ireland. They noted with interest the proposal of the British Government to convene a Conference of the principal political parties in Northern Ireland and shared the hope that progress could be made towards a form of administration acceptable to both parts of the community there. The President reaffirmed his statement of August, 1977 looking to support for American investment in Northern Ireland when the violence is ended.

The official visit of Prime Minister and Mrs. Lynch to Washington and to several other American cities demonstrates the great friendship between the two nations, and also the great respect of the American Government and people for a country which in recent years has enjoyed rapid economic growth and taken its place among the industrialized nations of the world. The Prime Minister spoke of the contribution of American investment to this growth and reiterated his Government's continuing support for such investment.

The Prime Minister invited the President to visit Ireland at a mutually agreeable date and the President accepted the invitation with pleasure.