Taoiseach rejects calls to cancel visit with Bush

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday said he would not “insult” the United States by cancelling his visit to meet US President George Bush tomorrow

He rejected calls from opposition parties and anti-war protesters to boycott the visit in protest at US war preparations.

The Taoiseach said although he held different opinions he respected the United States and appreciated what it had done for Ireland.

“I will be at the White House,” Mr Ahern told the Dáil.

“I respect the United States, I respect their President, I respect what they stand for in the free world. I appreciate what they do for this country. I appreciate the friendship they have and also that of the United Kingdom.”

He said however that he differed on the subject of war and would set out his point of view accordingly. “I stand with the United Nations as I have done since I met Kofi Annan,” he added. “But I will not insult the United States.”

Earlier, anti-war protesters said Mr Ahern should refuse to travel to Washington today to mark St Patrick’s Day, accusing him of complying with war preparations.

During a press conference in Dublin, peace activists also called on the people of Ireland to hold a 10-minute stoppage in the event of war breaking out.

Representatives of the NGO Peace Alliance, the Peace and Neutrality Alliance and the Irish Anti-War Movement called for the action at midday on “Day X”.

“Bush and Blair have provided no justification whatsoever and their failure to provide any justification for the war drive confirms the view held by many across the world that this is a war simply for oil and for US power,” said IAWM director Richard Boyd Barrett.

Meanwhile, students attending St Aidan’s CBS in Whitehall, Dublin, which lists the Taoiseach as one of its august past pupils, staged an anti-war protest outside the school.

Students left Mr Ahern in no doubt about how they felt about the US going to war with Iraq.One banner held high by one of the students stated: “Pupils of Bertie’s Past School Don’t Support his Bush-loving War Mongering!”

Other banners read: “Drop Bush Not Bombs” and “No Blood for Oil.”