Vice-President Al Gore hopes that the stalled Northern Ireland peace process will be given a new momentum when the political leaders meet at the White House on St Patrick's Day.
He has also insisted that there will be "no restrictions on visas for, or other contacts with, the Sinn Fein leadership", contrary to some media reports. If elected President, he intends to visit Belfast and Dublin.
Mr Gore was speaking during the weekend at an Irish-American forum in New York, which was supposed to be a platform for the presidential candidates to respond to questions on US policy towards Northern Ireland.
In the end, only Mr Gore of the five Democrat and Republican candidates showed up for the event at the John Jay College, where about 400 Irish-Americans packed the auditorium and waited patiently for three hours.
They were entertained by Irish music and extracts from The Phantom of the Opera.
Mr Gore arrived wearing a green tie, which he had to borrow from Mr Brian O'Dwyer, an Irish-American activist. Mr Gore's entourage included the Secretary of Housing, Mr Andrew Cuomo, his wife, Kerry Kennedy, and their baby son.
There was little sign of any Republican presence at what became virtually an election rally for Mr Gore, who is fairly certain to win New York's Democratic primary election tomorrow.
Mr Gore was applauded when he declared that, as President, "I will stand for peace in Northern Ireland . . . I will never give up".
He said he knew that this was "a very sensitive time" for the peace process because of the suspension of the institutions, which was causing frustration.
"The best thing we can do is push forward," Mr Gore said. "There is no turning back." The Irish people had spoken "clearly and decisively".
Mr Gore recalled that two years ago, before the Belfast Agreement and when things were "on the edge of success and failure, we brought together the leaders of all the factions for a meeting in the White House on St Patrick's Day itself.
"This year, we will bring the parties together again . . . and we hope to use this St Patrick's Day to make progress once again," he added.
He wanted his audience to know that "in a Gore administration, we will stand ready at a moment's notice to support the peace process in any way. There will be no let-up, no let-down, no turning back, no giving up. In a Gore administration, peace and justice in Northern Ireland will be in the very top rank of foreign policy priorities".
Mr Gore avoided any mention of the refusal so far of the IRA to decommission weapons, but he listed "many victories", including prisoner releases, a Bill of Rights, the policing commission and a new Assembly. "There is still a momentum for peace. Right now, there are discussions face to face. Our prayers are with them. The eyes of God are upon them," he said.
Mr Gore concluded by saying: "I dream of a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. I will work hard and tirelessly as president to make that dream come true."