BELFAST, Northern Ireland - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is delivering a speech to the Northern Ireland Assembly appealing to rival Catholic and Protestant leaders to strengthen their power-sharing government.

Clinton told the lawmakers - the Irish Catholic bloc to her left, the British Protestants to her right - that their 2-year-old partnership is an inspiration to the world and demonstrates that even the most bitter conflicts can be resolved through patient, painful compromise.

She urged the lawmakers to take the next step in power-sharing by accepting control of Northern Ireland's police and justice system from Britain.

Earlier Monday she held talks with First Minister Peter Robinson, the Protestant leader who opposes early transfer of those powers.