Gerry Adams urges US to remain engaged

On a four-day trip to the United States Sinn Féin President Gerry briefed members of the US Congress including Senator Hillary Clinton on the Irish Peace Process in Washington DC. He also met with the State Department.

In his briefings Adams outlined the background to the IRA's recent historic decision to end its armed campaign and expressed confidence that the IRA would honour its commitments, including that of putting its weapons beyond use.

Adams commended the White House and those US politicians who contributed to recent developments through their support for the Peace Process. He urged the US to remain engaged in the time ahead as efforts intensify to advance the process. The Sinn Féin president also spoke at length about the current crisis within unionism, the intensification over the summer months of sectarian attacks on the nationalist community and the recent violence involving the Orange Order and unionist paramilitaries. He called on those with influence to intervene to ensure sectarian attacks ended.