An influential group of business executives, Friends of Belfast in North America, yesterday met city councillors to discuss building better transatlantic industrial links. The group, led by a Boston millionaire Mr John Cullinane, held talks with the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and Sinn Fein.
Mr Cullinane said that Friends of Belfast now had 60 members, many of whom were in powerful business positions in the US and Canada. Companies include Liberty Mutual Insurance, which recently announced plans to set up a Belfast office, creating 140 jobs.
He said that the group now had "the active support of men and women from a cross-section of industry, academia and government who are demonstrating their commitment to the pursuit of job-creation and inward investment opportunities for Belfast".
A UUP councillor, Mr Reg Empey, thanked Mr Cullinane for his "invaluable work" and said the council was committed to strengthening business links between Belfast and North America.