[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
[August 1, 2001]
[Page 938]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Northern Ireland
August 1, 2001

    This morning I telephoned Prime Ministers Blair and Ahern to state my strong 
support for the package of proposals their Governments released today to 
the political party leaders in Northern Ireland.
    I believe the package is fair and that it charts the way forward in 
areas central to the Good Friday agreement. The package allows the 
people of Northern Ireland to sustain devolved government and establish 
a police service with broad public support. It provides further steps 
for normalizing the security presence in Northern Ireland and assuring 
the stability and integrity of the Good Friday agreement's political 
institutions. The proposals also recognize that a commitment to 
democratic governance and normalized security requires all parties to 
renounce violence and deal decisively with paramilitary weapons. 
Consequently, substantial progress on decommissioning is an essential 
part of today's package.
    In my conversation this morning, I commended the Prime Ministers for their continuing 
leadership on behalf of peace. I reiterated to them that the United 
States stands ready to help in any way that the Governments and the 
parties find useful. I now urge all parties in Northern Ireland to 
reflect carefully on today's proposals and to do everything in their 
power to make permanent the progress of the past 3 years by taking the 
next steps to implement the Good Friday agreement.