Bush urges jumpstart for Ulster peace process

US President George W Bush today urged Britain and Ireland to move the Northern Ireland peace process forward.

In brief telephone calls to Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Bush expressed his concern about recent unrest in Northern Ireland, said spokeswoman Mary Ellen Countryman.

Bush also said he was concerned that Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble planned to resign on Sunday.

‘‘The president stressed the need to go forward with the Good Friday agreement,’’ the spokeswoman said.

In his 15-minute talk with Blair, Bush also discussed the unrest in Macedonia and said he was dispatching US Ambassador James Pardew to the region to work with the European Union envoy.