President Joe Biden said he intends to travel to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland after receiving a formal invitation from UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to help mark 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement.
(Bloomberg) — President Joe Biden said he intends to travel to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland after receiving a formal invitation from UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to help mark 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement.
“My intention is to go to Northern Ireland and the republic,” Biden told reporters in San Diego on Monday. The exact timing of the trip remains unclear.
Sunak told reporters Sunday that he’d invite Biden, who is of Irish heritage, to take part in events in April marking the anniversary of the landmark deal, which largely ended the so-called Troubles that blighted the region for three decades.
“I’ll be keen to invite him to come,” Sunak told reporters traveling with him Sunday. “We’ve got this very important milestone to commemorate and celebrate.”
Sunak also accepted an invitation from Biden to visit Washington DC in June. “It’s great that we’re going to see each other also a lot over the next few months,” the UK leader said.
Biden and Sunak are in California for a trilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The nations unveiled the latest developments in plans to build a nuclear-powered submarine fleet, strengthening the countries’ long-established military alliance.
Former US President Bill Clinton, who was in the White House when the accords were signed, and his wife Hillary Clinton who served as secretary of state in Barack Obama’s cabinet, are also expected to attend commemorative events in Belfast next month.
–With assistance from Michael Sin.
(Updates with Sunak accepting invite to visit Washington in fifth paragraph.)
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