West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Adams Meets Hillary Clinton and Congressional leaders

Published: 18 March, 2009

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams MP MLA, and the party's US representative Rita O Hare, yesterday met with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg at the State Department.

The Sinn Fein leader then met with the Congressional Friends of Ireland Committee in the Capitol Building that was attended by 16 congress members.

Both meetings provided Gerry Adams with an opportunity to brief the Administration and legislative leaders on the progress that has been made in recent years in the Irish peace process and in the political institutions in the north.

Speaking after the meetings Mr. Adams said:

"Our discussions centred on the implementation of the outstanding issues of the Good Friday Agreement, including an Acht na Gaeilge and the transfer of powers on policing and justice and other matters. I also raised the issue of the undocumented Irish in the USA.

We also discussed the current situation and the recent murders by so-called dissident republican groups. I made our opposition on these actions clear, as well as our determination not to allow these groups to set the political agenda or turn the clock back to conflict.

I outlined Sinn Fein's positive agenda for change, our efforts to secure investment - including the announcement on Monday of $30 million from the New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli - and our two conferences planned for the East and West coasts of the USA in June on the theme of a United Ireland.