Bush envoy meets new Northern Secretary

US president George Bush’s special envoy to Northern Ireland, Ambassador Mitchell Reiss, will hold his first meeting with new Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain in London today, as efforts to revive the Stormont Assembly step up a gear.

Mr Reiss will also meet unionist and nationalist politicians in Belfast this week as the Irish, US and British governments assess the state of the peace process following the recent general election and local government elections in the North.