US president Joe Biden underlined his “strong support” for the Belfast Agreement on Wednesday as he held his first bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin to mark St Patrick’s Day. Speaking in the Oval Office ahead of the lengthy online meeting, which was described as “warm and upbeat” by the Taoiseach, Mr Biden said the “political and economic stability of Northern Ireland is very much in the interest of all our peoples”. Mr Biden thanked Mr Martin for the tradition of the bowl of shamrock, which this year had been delivered to the White House in advance of the meeting. Speaking ahead of the US president’s virtual meeting with the Taoiseach, a senior administration White House official said the US would not “take sides” in the debate. Mr Biden had also acknowledged the fact there were differing views within the two communities on the Northern Ireland protocol.

Source: The Irish Times March 18, 2021 00:56 UTC