Kerry told to 'get real' over Northern Ireland

US Presidential candidate John Kerry needs to get real about the political process in Northern Ireland, he was told today.

Democratic Unionist Assembly member Peter Weir lambasted the Democrats’ candidate for being out of touch with Northern Irish politics after he vowed to do all he could to deliver the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

The North Down Assembly Member said: “Once again, Senator Kerry has shown himself to be out of touch with the realities of the Northern Ireland political situation.

“During the Democratic primaries, he erroneously pointed the finger of blame for the continued suspension of devolution at the Democratic Unionist Party when almost everyone has accepted the fact that Northern Ireland does not enjoy self-government because Sinn Féin/IRA have failed to divest themselves of terrorism, paramilitarism and criminality.

“Now, Sen Kerry has committed himself to working for the full implementation of an agreement that has been overwhelmingly rejected by the unionist electorate.

“Unionists have told the world that the Belfast Agreement does not form the basis for a better way forward for Northern Ireland and the DUP is dedicated to drive forward unionism’s demand for a new, fair agreement.

“Sen Kerry would be better off making the pursuit of a deal that everyone can endorse part of his platform rather than forlornly and rigidly dedicating himself to the old, failed Agreement.”

As Democrats prepared to endorse John Kerry and Senator John Edwards as their team to fight President George W Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney in November, the party said its candidates would, if elected, do everything they could to support the Irish and British government efforts to restore devolution in Northern Ireland.

The Kerry-Edwards campaign vowed: “We are determined to help create a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. We support efforts by the Irish and British governments and the political parties to break the current impasse and we stand ready to assist in any way to achieve full implementation of the Belfast Agreement.”

The party stopped short, however, of the criticism of President Bush’s handling of the Northern Irish peace process by Sen Kerry during the Democratic primaries earlier this year.

In a statement to Irish American groups in February, Sen Kerry accused President Bush’s administration for failing to build on Bill Clinton’s achievements in Northern Ireland when he was in the White House.

The senator criticised the administration for failing to appoint a US ambassador to Ireland in over a year.

He also called on the IRA and loyalist terror groups to fully disarm and end all paramilitary activity and angered Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists by criticising them for “refusing to form a government with Sinn Féin”.

Mr Weir noted the Democratic candidate had vowed to get more involved in Northern Ireland than President Bush if he is elected.

The DUP Assembly member warned: “Unless Senator Kerry gets real and appreciates the realities of the situation here then any involvement he would make as US president would fall foul of the same mistakes as Bill Clinton and be viewed by unionists as far from even-handed.”