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Skriven 2006-03-17 23:33:30 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0603171) for Fri, 2006 Mar 17
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President Welcomes Irish Prime Minister Ahern for St. Patrick's Day
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 17, 2006

President Welcomes Irish Prime Minister Ahern for St. Patrick's Day
The Roosevelt Room

President's Remarks
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˙˙˙˙˙In Focus: Global Diplomacy

10:31 A.M. EST

PRIME MINISTER AHERN: Mr. President, Ambassadors, and friends; President,
thank you for your warm welcome once again to the White House this morning
to celebrate -- celebrate St. Patrick's Day, to me and all of the Irish
delegation. And we're enormously honored to be here with you today. It
means a great deal to us, and we deeply appreciate your time, both
yesterday and again today.

Ireland and the United States are two countries of vastly different size
and scale, but we enjoy an extraordinary and very special relationship.
There's a profound bond between us that is historic and indelible. And it
is fitting that we stand side-by-side in this great house to celebrate St.
Patrick and Ireland together.

This Shamrock Ceremony is a cherished tradition. It symbolizes the profound
kinship between Ireland and the United States. And the history of Irish
immigration to this country is as old as America, itself. This week, across
this great land, millions of Irish Americans are proudly celebrating their
heritage. Remember on this day that the strength of today's relationship is
made possible by the hard sacrifices of generations of Irish immigrants.
From a sad and difficult past has emerged a successful and a proud people
-- proud of Ireland, proud of the United States, and proud of being Irish
American. We salute their many achievements, and we celebrate their many
successes.

Mr. President, you have shown real leadership and understanding in the
complex challenge of comprehensive immigration reform. On this St.
Patrick's Day, mindful of the resonance that this great issue commands for
people, and Irish people, I would like to express the hope that a path may
be found to enable current Irish immigrants to legalize their status in the
United States on a permanent basis. I hope that they can realize their
dream of stable and secure lives for themselves and their families in this
great country.

Mr. President, the greatest historic issue that has faced the Irish people
from all traditions and creeds has been the challenge to live together in
peace on our small island. Since we met last year, we've made further real
progress. After decades of denying the will of the Irish people, the IRA
announced the end of its armed campaign and the decommissioning of its
weapons. These were long-awaited, landmark, historic developments.

Both Prime Minister Blair and I are determined that 2006 will be a decisive
year in completing the journey of peace that we've embarked on. We're at
one in our objective and in our strategy. We want to see the Good Friday
Agreement implemented, and its full potential realized. We will not be
deterred from this challenge. And when we look back on such a dark past,
we're all the more determined to delivering the promise and hope of that
indispensable agreement. The path to a permanent peace has not been easy.
But I believe that, step by step, we are steadily building that peace and
setting Northern Ireland on course for the future.

The United States has been a great friend in this quest, and as we seek to
conclude the last elements in our peace process, your continuing support,
Mr. President, will be of enormous importance and greatly appreciated. I
welcome your invitation to the Northern Ireland political parties to be
here today, and the fact that you've also extended an invitation to many
others tragically affected by violence, or working for a better future for
everyone in Ireland.

I warmly applaud the work of your Special Envoy, Ambassador Mitchell Reiss,
as well as Ambassador James Kenny. They do a great job serving their
country. And their tireless efforts and commitment in advancing the peace
process in Ireland are widely recognized.

President John Quincy Adams once said that patience and perseverance have a
magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. We
have found, Mr. President, the patience and perseverance that produce great
results. With a little more on everybody's part, and with your help, and
that of all our friends in the United States, we will complete our historic
journey.

I'm very pleased, President, to present you once again on this St.
Patrick's Day of 2006, the shamrock as a token of our esteem and the warmth
of our friendship.

Thank you, Mr. President.

(The shamrock is presented.) (Applause.)

PRESIDENT BUSH: Taoiseach, thank you very much. Welcome back.

PRIME MINISTER AHERN: Thank you.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Laura and I are delighted to welcome you here to the White
House. I'm proud to accept the bowl of shamrocks as a symbol of our
friendship.

The friendship between Ireland and the United States has deep roots. Few
people fought as hard for American independence as the sons of Erin. At the
end of the Revolutionary War, Lord Mountjoy told the House of Commons that,
"We've lost America through the Irish." The Irish played a key role in
Washington's army. And in the two centuries since, the ties between Ireland
and America have only strengthened.

The ties between Ireland and America are reflected in this great house.
This house was designed by an Irish architect, and he used as his model the
grandest building he knew, Leinster House in Ireland. The affinities
between the two buildings are more than just architectural; the White House
built by James Hoban has been home to every American President since John
Q. Adams' father, John. The Dublin building that inspired him now serves as
a free parliament in a free and independent Ireland.

The ties between Ireland and America are also reflected in our people.
Ireland has one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, and its growth
is attracting immigrants. For more than a century that was a different
story. Millions of Irish came to our shores because of war and poverty and
famine. Often they arrived with nothing but the faith of their fathers, and
a willingness to work. These men and women who built our cities were also
the soldiers who defended our freedom in every one of our wars. They're the
priests and they're the nuns who built a system of parochial schools that
provided a decent education for millions of poor immigrants. And they're
now doing the same thing for a new generation of African Americans and
Latino Americans in our inner cities.

Like St. Patrick, the Irish in America began their life in their new land
as exiles, but came to love it as home. Finally, the ties between Ireland
and America are reflected in our common commitment to bring the blessings
of liberty to every man and woman and child on this Earth.

In the 20th century, Ireland won its independence and raised up a democracy
that offered its people a just and better life. In the 21st century,
Ireland is now helping other nations who share the same aspirations for
peace and prosperity by fighting hunger, and the spread of HIV/AIDS in
Africa, by supporting relief efforts for victims of the tsunami in Asia,
and by helping the Afghan people rebuild their lives and their country.
Ireland is independent when it comes to foreign policy. But Ireland is not
neutral when it comes to the global challenges like hunger and disease and
human rights.

Taoiseach, you're making a big contribution to our world, and we appreciate
it. The United States appreciates all of Ireland's efforts for peace and
freedom. Americans are grateful to our Irish friends, and we are proud of
our Irish heritage.

The Census Bureau tells us there are more than 34 million Americans that
claim Irish ancestry. On St. Patrick's Day, I suspect that number jumps a
little bit. (Laughter.) On this special day, we honor the saint who brought
the gospel of peace to the Green Isle, and we count ourselves blessed by
the warm friendship between his adopted land and our own.

Thanks for coming. Appreciate it. (Applause.)

END 10:39 A.M. EST

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