Bill Clinton says the Good Friday Agreement was a "work of genius". He was speaking on the 20th anniversary of the peace deal.

He added: "It called for real democracy, majority rule, minority rights, individual rights, the rule of law, the end of violence, shared political decision-making and shared economic benefits".

President Bill Clinton says George Mitchell was a "genius" at closing the gaps between the different parties in the Good Friday Agreement negotiations. He was speaking at an event in Belfast to mark the agreement's 20th anniversary.

Mr Clinton added: "The main thing that I tried to do was jumpstart the (agreement) and to give it early confidence."

Former DUP leader Peter Robinson, whose party opposed the Good Friday Agreement, says he stands by that stance. He was speaking in Belfast earlier today.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair tells an audience at Queen's that President Bill Clinton was his "call a friend" during the Good Friday Agreement negotiations.

Mr Blair added: "When anything got really difficult we'd pick up the phone and ask him to help... he was always willing to give us the benefit of his advice."

Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern and George Mitchell take to the stage at the Whitla Hall at Queen's University for a special Q&A on the Good Friday Agreement.

Politicians, past and present, listen to Senator George Mitchell pay tribute to the "vision and courage" political leaders displayed in 1998 when the Good Friday peace deal was signed.

A typically wet Northern Ireland welcome to Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair as they arrive as Queen's University in Belfast to mark 20 years since the Good Friday Agreement.

Senator Mitchell said the "real heroes of the Good Friday Agreement were the people of Northern Ireland and their political leaders".

"The people supported the effort to achieve agreement and afterwards they voted overwhelmingly to ratify it," he added.

Of the politicians involved in the talks, Senator Mitchell said: "These were ordinary men and women but after 700 days of failure they joined in one day of success and they changed the course of history."

The crux of George Mitchell's message? The 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement marks how far the Northern Ireland peace process has come - but also how far it still must travel.

Enda McClafferty
Political correspondent

The scaffolding outside Queen's University said it all: This is still a work in progress.

That was the message delivered inside by the architects of the Good Friday Agreement.

This was not a day for back clapping, but a moment to take stock.

Yes to share memories, but also to deliver messages to the current crop of political leaders about the Stalemate at Stormont.

The call from the class of '98 was clear: Finish the job started 20 years ago.

Mr Mitchell says "history will look back on the day (the peace deal was signed) as a reflection of how far we have come in NI and how much further we still have to travel".

"In the current political climate of Northern Ireland, it would be useful for all of us to recall and to heed the powerful and moving words by which the (British and Irish) governments and the political parties pledged their support for the agreement," he adds.