Bush wants closure on the Irish war

US President George W Bush is expected to call today for Republicans and Unionists to make compromises to strike a deal to get the Good Friday Agreement back on track.

And Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will tell Mr Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair that the United Nations should have the primary role in the reconstruction of Iraq at the historic meeting in Belfast.

In particular, Mr Bush is expected to push for action by the IRA to step even further away from conflict, possibly including a statement that the war is over or substantial public decommissioning.

At the start of a crucial week in Northern Ireland politics, Mr Bush and US Secretary of State Colin Powell flew into Belfast last night amid a storm of controversy over the war summit.

Last night, thousands of protesters marched on the Belfast war summit and declared: “We want nothing to do with the Iraqi massacre.”

Heavy security kept demonstrators away from Hillsborough Castle where Mr Bush and Mr Blair met for talks, but a procession of demonstrators snaked its way up to the Co Down village to show opposition to the Iraq conflict.

Amid the beat of drums and chants the crowds told the two leaders to leave Northern Ireland.

Trade union leaders, politicians and relatives of those caught up in the war all joined the rally.

Ahead of his meeting with Mr Bush, Mr Blair and Northern Ireland’s pro-agreement parties, the Taoiseach spoke with UN secretary general Kofi Annan and committed to express the concerns of the international community about the humanitarian situation and the future of Iraq.

Getting the humanitarian and post-war situation right is vital to the stability of Iraq and the wider region, Mr Ahern will tell the US and British leaders.

“We want to see a new administration that will have greater legitimacy if it is under the ambit of the international community. We also want to achieve the position that the UN will be at the heart of that,” he said.

Northern Ireland secretary Paul Murphy hinted that Mr Bush could call for Republicans to make the act of completion central to the deal to get the Northern institutions back up and running.

Stating that the US had already played a positive role in the peace process, Mr Murphy said a direct appeal from Mr Bush could help persuade the IRA to get rid of its weapons.

The Taoiseach also said yesterday that he was finalising the Government’s paper for the Northern Ireland peace package to be presented to pro-agreement parties.