Kerry criticises Bush's demotion of North peace process

DEMOCRATIC presidential hopeful John Kerry has lashed US President George W Bush for pushing the Northern Ireland peace process down the foreign policy agenda.

In a comprehensive statement on the peace process to Irish American groups, Mr Kerry criticised Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists for "refusing to form a government with Sinn Féin".

He also urged the IRA and loyalists to get rid of all their weapons and end all paramilitary activity.