Senior US politicians such as presidential candidate Mr John Kerry, have been angered by the British government's failure to publish the Cory report into the role of security forces in a number of controversial murders in the North, Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams claimed last night.
During the traditional round of St Patrick's Day talks in Washington, Mr Adams said the British had been "running scared" of the report but were feeling the weight of international pressure.
Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams.
"In fact a letter was sent to the British Prime Minister on March 9 by seven senior US senators including the Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and Charles Schumer calling for the publication of the report and saying that the failure to do so was damaging political process.
"There is a feeling that the issue of collusion between elements in the British establishment and loyalist death squads has to be properly addressed," Mr Adams said.
The British government has been taken to court by three of the families affected by the report by retired Canadian judge Peter Cory.
But this week the government announced it would release the results of the inquiry into the murders of solicitors Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson, Portadown Catholic Robert Hamill and Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright.
Judge Cory has already informed the families that he has recommended public inquiries into each murder. In 2001, the judge was appointed by the British and Irish governments to investigate whether inquiries should be held and they agreed to abide by his findings.
Mr Adams made his comments on arrival in Calgary, Canada, last night.
He also said the DUP had no choice but to share power with Sinn Féin. He said: "We disagree with the DUP on a lot of things, but Sinn Fein respect their mandate and we acknowledge it. . . . It is up to them to acknowledge ours."
"Certainly there are interesting elements in their proposals for devolution where we have not yet seen how they are going to deal with the all-Ireland aspects of the Good Friday Agreement."
Mr Adams insisted that his party is not under pressure over allegations of continuing IRA activity. He accused the Irish and British governments of persisting with a two-item agenda - calling for an end to paramilitary activity by the IRA and claiming unionists also needed to commit themselves to sharing power with republicans should the IRA wind down.
PA