President Bush's brief visit to Ireland is to progress "very serious issues" and is not a curtsey call, the American ambassador to Ireland said this morning.
Mr James C. Kenny said "counter-terrorism, the broader Middle East and North Africa, non-proliferation, many economic reforms, and Iraq" were among the issues up for discussion during the two-hour meeting at Dromoland Castle in Co Clare.
Mr Kenny told RTE radio this morning the response to the HIV/Aids epidemic would also be on the agenda. Admitting that there were differences over the decision to invade Iraq he said "we are now all agreed upon that we are going to go forward and give these 25 million people in Iraq a chance for democracy".
Accepting that there was opposition to by President Bush, Mr Kenny said people had the right to peaceful protests and this was what the US is fighting for.
He said America is was working to repair relations with France following disagreement over Iraq. Mr Kenny said the US and France were working together on aspects of the WTO's Doha agreement. This trade liberalisation helps world economy he added.
He also said he did not believe Ireland was anti-American. He said the European press was focused on Iraq whereas America was about more than just this.
Asked whether Ireland was considered a member of the coalition of the willing because Shannon was available as a refueling point for the US army, Mr Kenny replied "Ireland is a friend. Always has been always will be".