Irish and American political figures united yesterday around the visit to Washington of the sisters of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney to harden their demands for the disbandment of the IRA, writes Conor O'Clery, North America Editor in Washington
President George Bush is expected to add his voice to those calling for the IRA to go out of business when he meets Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the McCartney sisters in the White House this morning.
Some of the strongest criticism of the IRA's continued existence came from senator Edward Kennedy, a long-term supporter of the Northern Ireland peace process.
After meeting the sisters on Capitol Hill along with senators Chris Dodd, Hillary Clinton and John McCain, Mr Kennedy said that their presence in Washington sent "a very powerful signal that it's time for the IRA to fully decommission, end all criminal activity and cease to exist as a paramilitary organisation".
The IRA was now an albatross around the neck of Sinn Féin, Mr Kennedy said, adding, using a poker analogy: "I think there's a time to hold 'em and a time to fold 'em and it's overdue in terms of the disbandment of the IRA."
At the White House Mr Bush disclosed, when asked if he was sending a message to the IRA by not inviting Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams to the White House for the first time in 10 years, that he had discussed the issue with Mr Ahern at his meeting with EU leaders in Brussels last month.
"We wanted to make sure that we honoured those in civil society in Ireland who are contributing positively to the peace process," Mr Bush said. It was very important that people understood that the parties must renounce violence, he went on.
"The Good Friday agreement laid out the way forward for peace in Northern Ireland, and this administration and our government strongly supports those steps. But tomorrow's message will be, we want to thank those in civil society who are working hard to achieve a peaceful resolution."
Mr Bush is scheduled to meet the McCartney sisters during a White House reception after the traditional presentation of shamrock by Mr Ahern this morning.
"Hopefully some good will come out of the evil perpetuated on this family," the president remarked.
The McCartneys and the partner of the late Robert McCartney, Bridgeen Hagans, yesterday met US envoy to Northern Ireland Mitchell Reiss at the State Department and afterwards Mr Reiss said all of America stood with them in their grief and search for justice.Speaking on behalf of the McCartney family, Catherine McCartney made a short statement after meeting the four senators, saying "We came here to tell the story of Robert's murder. We hope this will produce justice for the family" and "send a signal".
Late yesterday Mr Reiss met Mr Adams at the State Department and a State Department spokesman said that Mr Reiss would tell the Sinn Féin leader it was time for the IRA to disband, especially in the light of the Northern Bank robbery and the murder of Mr McCartney. They would also discuss the role of the administration in helping to advance the process and the rule of law.
The Taoiseach last night urged the Irish America lobby to continue loyally to back the peace process as in the past, according to an advance copy of his speech to the annual American Ireland Fund dinner in Washington.
He emphasised that people voting for the Good Friday agreement were voting for democratic peace over violence.
Also yesterday the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, met national security adviser Stephen Hadley, who told him the the Bush administration would take the advice of the British and Irish governments on what they thought was most helpful to move the current situation forward.