Clinton thanks Ireland for supporting US in Guantanamo Bay crisis

US SECRETARY of state Hillary Clinton has thanked Ireland for accepting two detainees from Guantanamo Bay and helping her country untangle the human rights mess created by the prison camp in the Caribbean.

She said our decision to settle two Uzbek detainees wrongfully imprisoned in Guantanamo was a help to President Barack Obama’s plans. His commitment to close the base by thebeginning of next year has run into serious financial and legal difficulties both at home and internationally, she added.

“We are very grateful to the Taoiseach, to the Government and to the people of Ireland for accepting the detainees.

“Obviously we have worked closely with the Irish government to effectuate this transfer. And we are not only appreciative but also quite admiring of the approach that this government has taken,” she said.

Ms Clinton was speaking ahead of a meeting with the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park.

During her afternoon visit to the country, her first since her appointment as America’s most senior diplomat, she also was welcomed at Áras an Uachtaráin by President Mary McAleese.

She said the administration accepted it was going to be difficult to fulfil its promise to close the camp and relocate the prisoners for trial, permanent imprisonment or resettlement.

Mr Cowen said the Government had been willing to take the two men and help America resolve part of the problem.

“Our government is capable of arranging of this resettlement to take place. It is being pursued, it will take place and we are happy to do so in an effort to assist a friend in dealing with an issue which we very much welcome – the fact that the present administration’s policy in this area is to close Guantanamo,” he said.

Ms Clinton also praised the country’s response to the economic crisis and its vote to ratify the Lisbon Treaty in the referendum earlier this month.

She said American companies would continue to see Ireland as a place to invest.

“It is certainly of concern to us that good friends like Ireland have suffered the negative growth.

“But it is also very heartening to see the positive steps that this government has taken to begin to deal with the underlying economic challenges,” she said.

Ms Clinton, who will address the Stormont Assembly this morning, said the Obama administration was committed to helping improve the environment in the North.

She said the appointment of Tipperary man Declan Kelly as a special economic envoy was a “very tangible signal that we want to invest in peace dividend”.