[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 35 (Thursday, March 15, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2382-S2383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         ST. PATRICK'S DAY STATEMENT BY THE FRIENDS OF IRELAND

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, today, the Friends of Ireland in Congress 
released its annual St. Patrick's Day Statement. The Friends of Ireland 
is a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives opposed to 
violence and terrorism in Northern Ireland and dedicated to a United 
States policy that promotes a just, lasting and peaceful settlement of 
the conflict.
  I believe this year's Friends of Ireland Statement will be of 
interest to all of our colleagues who are concerned about this issue, 
and I ask unanimous consent that it may be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

          Friends of Ireland Statement--St. Patrick's Day 2001

       The Friends of Ireland in the Congress join 44 million 
     Irish Americans in celebrating the unique ties between 
     America and the island of Ireland. We welcome the Taoiseach, 
     Bertie Ahern, to the United States, and we send warm 
     greetings to the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.
       We commend President Bush for expressing his willingness to 
     remain involved in the pursuit of peace in Northern Ireland. 
     The active engagement of President Clinton played an 
     instrumental role in advancing the peace process, and it is 
     vital that President Bush remain engaged.
       The valuable work carried out by the new institutions set 
     up under the Good Friday Agreement demonstrates the capacity 
     of these institutions to contribute significantly to the 
     welfare of the people of Northern Ireland and throughout 
     Ireland. We call on all political representatives to develop 
     the potential of the new arrangements by operating them to 
     the full, under the rules, and in the spirit of the Agreement 
     and thereby to consolidate the institutions for which the

[[Page S2383]]

     people have voted and which they clearly want to see working 
     for the common benefit. We appeal to all parties to work 
     together to remove the remaining obstacles standing in the 
     way of the full achievement of this goal.
       The Good Friday Agreement was endorsed by the people of 
     Ireland and Northern Ireland with majorities from both 
     communities. It provided a mandate to those working on behalf 
     of peace, justice, and the creating of a new beginning in 
     Northern Ireland. Its provisions are interdependent, and to 
     ensure the successful implementation of the Good Friday 
     Agreement, those provisions must be addressed concurrently.
       In the past, dangerous political vacuums have been avoided 
     when all parties to the Good Friday Agreement have been 
     willing to make difficult political decisions and implement 
     confidence-building measures. We urge them to do so again.
       We believe the Patten recommendations on police reform must 
     be fully implemented. We acknowledge that progress has been 
     made, but further steps must be taken to ensure that the 
     police service will be representative of all people in 
     Northern Ireland and have the support of the community it 
     serves. An inclusive and credible police service, which is 
     supported by nationalists and unionists, is in the interest 
     of everyone in Northern Ireland. Likewise, the criminal 
     justice system must be fair and impartial. It must be 
     responsive to the community's concerns, encourage community 
     involvement wherever possible, and have the confidence of all 
     parts of the community.
       We also believe the British Government should scale back 
     its military presence in Northern Ireland, particularly in 
     South Armagh. The dismantlement of watchtowers and military 
     installations in Northern Ireland would represent a 
     significant confidence-building measure that would advance 
     the pursuit of peace.
       We welcome the May 5, 2000 statement by the IRA that it 
     ``will initiate a process that will completely and verifiably 
     put IRA arms beyond use . . . in such a way as to avoid risk 
     to the public and misappropriation by others and ensure 
     maximum public confidence,'' and we welcome the IRA's recent 
     decision to reengage with the de Chastelain Commission on 
     decommissioning. The IRA's decision is a welcome first step, 
     and we hope it will pave the way for further action by all 
     parties. We urge the IRA to engage in meaningful dialogue 
     with the Commission and take tangible steps to put weapons 
     beyond use.
       We also emphasize the importance of advancing human rights 
     and equality issues under the Good Friday Agreement, 
     including the creation of a Bill of Rights. Similarly, we 
     call for the establishment of independent inquiries into the 
     Finucane, Nelson, and Hamill cases, to demonstrate commitment 
     to human rights and accountability.
       We commend the Irish and British Governments for their 
     ongoing efforts to work with the political leaders in 
     Northern Ireland and to advance the peace process in Northern 
     Ireland. On St. Patrick's Day, we urge all the leaders to 
     recognize the danger of delay and redouble efforts to fully 
     implement the Good Friday Agreement.
       Friends of Ireland Executive Committee.
       House: Dennis J. Hastert, Richard A. Gephardt, James T. 
     Walsh.
       Senate: Edward M. Kennedy, Christopher J. Dodd, Susan M. 
     Collins.

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