SF expects US to keep Stormont link

The next President of the United States will maintain his or her country's strong links with Stormont, Martin McGuinness predicted today.

As Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister prepared to attend George Bush's last St Patrick's Day reception as US President, he predicted Stormont leaders would continue to have access to the White House if John McCain, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton are elected.

The Mid Ulster MP also paid special tribute to President Bush for his strong support for the peace process. "I'm very conscious that this will be President Bush's last St Patrick's Day event in office," Mr McGuinness said.

"During his time he has continued the good work of the Clinton administration on the Irish peace process and was hugely supportive and encouraging to all the parties.

"We saw from Clinton to Bush US Government envoys who took a particular interest in our situation and invested a lot emotionally and intellectually - people of the calibre of George Mitchell, Jim Steinberg, Richard Haass, Mitchell Reiss and now Paula Dobriansky.

"There has also been tremendous support on Capitol Hill and I know the First Minister (Ian Paisley) and I were very touched when we visited Washington last December to be presented with framed copies of a resolution passed on the floor of the Senate recognising what has been achieved at Stormont.

"That resolution was signed by Ted Kennedy but also Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain.

"So I have every confidence that whoever the American people choose as their next President will continue the personal interest in what we are doing and continue to support us in our work."

Mr McGuinness and Democratic Unionist junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson will represent the power sharing executive at the official St Patrick's Day reception in the White House.

Ahead of their meeting with President Bush, they will host a breakfast event at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington involving leading American business and political figures.

The event will promote the Stormont Executive's investment conference in Belfast in May aimed at wooing US businesses.

Mr McGuinness and Mr Donaldson were due to attend the annual St Patrick's Day US Speaker's lunch on Capitol Hill, along with President Bush and the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.