The two leaders address the media

The BBC's David Walker reports on a meeting of minds Dur: 2'57"

Clinton Appeals for IRA ceasefire

In what's being seen as his strongest intervention yet on Northern Ireland, he praised Tony Blair's approach and his sense of hope for the province and called on the IRA to lay down their arms for good.

"The goal of this peace process is inclusive talks because they are the ones most likely to succeed," said President Clinton at a news conference in the sunshine in the Downing Street rose garden.

"But I've said before and I'd like to say again that can only succeed if there is an unequivocal ceasefire, in deed and in word. Again I urge the IRA to lay down their guns for good and for all parties to turn their efforts to building the peace together," insisted the president.

But Mr Clinton refused to get drawn on the precise details of the peace talks. "We have a new British government which has taken what I think are wise and judicious steps and made statements that I think are clear, unequivocal and appropriate," he said.

In a message to the IRA, the President said: "You can't say ... we'll talk when we're happy, we'll shoot when we're not. Every political process in the world is a struggle for principled compromise - which means when it's over, no one is 100% happy."

Downing Street garden

Blair: a "new generation of leaders"

For his part, the Prime Minister spoke of a "new generation of politics" as he sealed his friendship with US President Bill Clinton by announcing a joint jobs action plan.

"We need to reduce long term and youth unemployment," he said. "We have agreed today to a common agenda and a shared determination to tackle these problems."

After private talks and a working lunch with the President, Mr Blair said: "This is a new era which calls for a new generation of politics and a new generation of leadership.

Clinton concerned about Northern Ireland

Calls for IRA ceasefire

"This is the generation that prefers reason to doctrine, it is strong on ideals but indifferent to ideology, whose instinct is to judge government not on grand designs but by practical results," he said.

"This is the generation trying to take politics to a new plateau seeking to rise above some of the old divisions of right and left," said Mr Blair.

President Clinton said free peoples throughout the world were interested in democratic government working on constructive economic policies and believing social problems could be solved.

"I don't think it is the end of ideology. I think it is the end of yesterday's ideology," he said.

The leaders' news conference followed their private talks and working lunch together at Downing Street after Mr Clinton flew into Heathrow on his personal jet Air Force One. The President also dropped in on the Cabinet at the end of their normal meeting.

The talks between the Prime Minister and President Clinton appear to have cemented the special relationship between their two countries.