Cowen to meet Giuliani

Foreign Minister Brian Cowen is due to meet New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani later this evening to thank him for helping the Irish-American community in the wake of the September 11th attack on the World Trade Centre.

During his stay in New York, Mr Cowen will oversee the start of Ireland’s month-long presidency of the UN security council.

The minister said that Ireland will use this role to focus on humanitarian efforts within Afghanistan and not the United States’ new "coalition against terrorism".