Belfast: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed US President Joe Biden to Northern Ireland on Tuesday as he arrived for a quick visit to commemorate the peace accord's 25th anniversary, which largely put an end to 30 years of bloodshed.
Before heading to the Republic of Ireland for nearly three days of meetings with officials and distant relatives, Biden, who is fiercely proud of his Irish heritage, will spend a little more than half a day in the area administered by the United Kingdom.
Biden arrived in Northern Ireland at a delicate time and will need to proceed cautiously as the largest pro-British party continues to boycott the devolved power-sharing government, a crucial component of the peace process. Sunak met Biden on the runway at a windy Belfast International Airport.
Also Read: Indian Chief Dark Horse vs. the Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114
Joseph Kennedy III, a member of the illustrious Irish American political family whom the president appointed as the US special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs in December, stood to the side of the president as he addressed officials on the tarmac for a short period of time.
Prior to his speech at a Belfast university, Biden will meet with Sunak early on Wednesday and have conversations with the heads of each of Northern Ireland's five major political parties.
Speaking to reporters prior to boarding Air Force One, Biden declared that one of his top priorities was to support the recent Windsor Framework agreement between the European Union and Britain to lower trade barriers in Northern Ireland following Brexit.
Make sure the Windsor Agreement and the Irish agreements are upheld. Respect peace. The main thing is that, he said. "Clap your hands together." The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in Northern Ireland has stated that Biden's visit, which will be the first by a US president in ten years, won't put pressure on them to stop their protest of the post-Brexit trade rules that treat the province differently than the rest of the UK.
Also Read: How the Apple iPhone 15 Pro will revolutionise smartphones
The revised post-Brexit deal for the province is what the DUP wants, but London has said that is not possible.
In an effort to break the deadlock, Biden, who occasionally clashed with the British government during the Brexit negotiations and angered DUP lawmakers, will raise the prospect of stronger investment ties between the US and Northern Ireland.
Four pipe bombs, which are little improvised explosive devices, were found on Tuesday in Londonderry, a city 110 kilometres (70 miles) away from where Biden will stay, adding to security concerns. The devices were connected to the rioters there on Monday who were Irish nationalists, according to a police statement.
The visit and the anniversary of the peace agreement that the US helped broker between Irish nationalists seeking a united Ireland and pro-British unionists wanting to remain part of the UK are expected to be overshadowed by the latest political impasse, which followed a three-year collapse of the devolved government from 2017 to 2020.
In Belfast, where security was tight before the visit, Niamh McNutt, a 21-year-old student adviser, said, "It might spur things along and maybe things will be taken a bit more seriously." "We do require assistance at this time to get things in order, and perhaps this will provide the motivation people require."
Small groups still occasionally engage in violence against the peace process. An off-duty police officer was shot by two assailants in front of his son in February, leaving him with serious injuries.
Following the shooting, the British MI5 intelligence agency raised the threat level in Northern Ireland from domestic terrorism to "severe," which indicates that an attack is very likely. Since its debut in 2010, it has been primarily operating at that level.
Biden, who frequently cites Irish poets like Seamus Heaney and boasts of having Irish ancestry, will visit both coasts of Ireland, speak to the parliament in Dublin, and meet with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.
Also Read: Because of its structural reforms India continues to be a desirable location for investment
On Wednesday, the president will visit County Louth, the birthplace of his great-grandfather James Finnegan, and conclude his trip with a speech in the western county of Mayo, the upbringing place of his great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt.
Joe Biden is the most Irish American president since (John F.) Kennedy, and we're really excited to welcome him home, Varadkar said on Sunday.