US delegation meets Sinn Féin leaders
A HIGH POWERED DELEGATION of American businessmen and Irish Voice
publisher Niall O'Dowd met with Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams
and Martin McGuinness MP for Mid-Ulster in West Belfast on
Tuesday 22 July.
The Americans Chuck Feeney, Bill Flynn and Tom Moran both of
Mutual of America as well as O'Dowd have in the past number of
years played a significant role in building the peace process in
the United States.
The meeting held in Sinn Fein's Belfast headquarters, Connolly
House, indicated the eagerness with which the Americans wanted to
welcome the reinstatement of the IRA cessation and endorse the
significance of the move.
Flynn, chair of Mutual America described Adams as, ``a man of
peace'', and said that ``the people of the North demanded that
unionists join Sinn Fein at the talks table. I fully expect
expect that all parties will find a way to sit at the table''.
He added that he would not be surprised if the Sinn Fein
President was invited to the White House soon.
d writing in Monday's Irish Times Niall O'Dowd gave weight to
the significant interest being shown in the US for events in
Ireland when he wrote that ``peace in Ireland is an article of
faith'' in the Clinton household.
Of the meeting Adams said:
``This group has, since 1993, taken the lead in demonstrating the
positive role which the Irish diaspora can make to the attempt to
achieve a just and lasting peace in Ireland.''
Former Congressman Bruce Morrison and Joe Jamison of the American
labour Coalition were unable to attend the meeting.
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