The United States President, Joe Biden, will on Friday host Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, at the White House for the traditional St. Patrick’s Day meeting, a US statement said, ahead of Biden’s visit to Ireland next month.
Biden, who trumpets his Irish roots, confirmed he will soon travel to Ireland and Northern Ireland this week, to mark the 25th anniversary of the US-brokered Good Friday Agreement.
The peace accord brought to an end three decades of violence over British rule in Northern Ireland.
Biden and Varadkar will stress their “support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement as we approach its 25th anniversary and welcome the recent agreement between the UK and EU on the Windsor Framework as an important step in preserving the Agreement’s peace dividend,” the White House said.
At the annual Saint Patrick’s Day ceremony in the White House, the Irish premier presents the US president with a bowl of shamrock.
Biden’s much-anticipated visit has led to speculation it could coincide with power-sharing restarting in Belfast.
However, Northern Ireland’s largest pro-UK party said this week it would not be rushed on giving its verdict on the Windsor Framework post-Brexit trade deal that could pave the way for a resumption of devolved governance in Northern Ireland.
AFP
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