Bill Clinton was honouring former SDLP leader John Hume

Mr Clinton was in Northern Ireland to inaugurate former SDLP leader John Hume's tenure of the Tip O'Neill Chair in Peace Studies at the University of Ulster.

In his speech on Sunday at the Great Hall of the university's Magee campus, Mr Clinton called for people in Northern Ireland to cast their vote for peace.

"I ask you to stay the course and lead the world by your example," he said.

"When the Middle East peace fell apart, when the future was uncertain in Bosnia, when Africa was still reeling from losing 10% of the people in the entire country of Rwanda and two million died in the Congo, I could always point to the Good Friday Accord.

In a world that is coming together, I think the Good Friday Accord is about the best you could ever do - the principle of consent Bill Clinton Former US President

"You need to think a long time before you give it up."

Mr Clinton said nobody could have done a better job in reconciling the "complicating and conflicting interests" than was done in creating the Agreement.

"In a world that is coming together, I think the Good Friday Accord is about the best you could ever do - the principle of consent," he said.

Tribute

Mr Clinton also paid tribute to Foyle MP Mr Hume, who is taking up the tenure of the Chair, established in memory of the former Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Mr Clinton inaugurated the Chair during his first visit to the province in 1995.

Mr Hume hailed Mr Clinton's "passion for peace and justice in Ireland".

The Nobel Peace Prize winner said there had been much progress since Mr Clinton's involvement in the talks ahead of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

"The lives of the people, particularly on the streets of the north, although we still have difficulties, their lives have been transformed," he said.

"You only have to walk around the streets of our city to see the change that has been brought about because the atmosphere has been transformed. And there can be no turning back."

Mr Clinton received a standing ovation from the invited audience, which included Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, the party's chief negotiator Martin McGuinness and SDLP leader Mark Durkan.

Mr Clinton held private talks afterwards with Mr Adams and Mr Durkan.