London, Thanasis Gavos

The assurance that “Peace in Northern Ireland matters to the US” and that his country remains committed to contributing to its preservation, gave Joe Biden in a speech at Ulster University in Belfast.

Closing his short visit to Northern Ireland on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Friday Peace Agreement, the American President said in his speech that the institutions created by this agreement “remain critical to the future of Northern Ireland”.

In this context, choosing his words very carefully and making it clear that this is a decision that rests with the Northern Irish people, he expressed the hope that the co-government of the largest republican and unionist parties in Northern Ireland provided for in the peace agreement will be restored quickly, so so that Stormont local parliament can function again.

The DUP’s departure from the coalition over disagreements over the terms of the Brexit deal has caused Stormond to be suspended from February 2022.

President Biden also did not hesitate to say that he considers the so-called Windsor Framework signed by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to be good, in an effort to normalize trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to overturn the DUP’s objections – which, however, has not yet happened.

In an indirect message to the DUP President Biden said he believes the Windsor Framework brings much-needed “stability and predictability”, helping to keep the peace.

His speech made many references to the link between peace and economic prosperity, to which he noted the US would continue to contribute with large investments in Northern Ireland. As he said, peace in the region is an issue that unites the otherwise politically polarized Washington.

He recalled that before the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 peace in Northern Ireland seemed unattainable and called on its local political leadership to work again with the same spirit of faith in a better future. “Northern Ireland will not back down,” he said, referring to recent incidents of violence, particularly against police officers. “The Good Friday agreement shows that there is hope for repair even in the greatest fragmentation,” he added.

He pointed out that today there is evidence everywhere that Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland are enjoying the fruits of the peace agreement.

Once again he made reference to his Irish roots, but also noted that he also had English ancestors.

The report comes after a White House spokesman said President Biden “is not anti-British”. It is a charge leveled against him by unionist politicians in Northern Ireland and has resurfaced after the decision to make the visit to the region much shorter than the three-day visit to the Republic of Ireland, which begins in the afternoon.

Earlier, President Biden he had brief contacts with the leaders of the five largest Northern Irish parties.

In the morning he also had a relatively brief meeting with the British Prime Minister in a Belfast hotel for coffee and discussion. Downing Street was forced to reject the claim that the US side had “degraded” the meeting.

The American leader will stay in Ireland until Friday night. As well as official contacts with the state and political leadership of the country on Thursday, he will also visit the places of origin of his ancestors in counties Louth and Mayo.