Irish prime minister calls on continued US support for peace process

Washington - US President George W. Bush met with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern Friday at the White House for the traditional St. Patrick's Day presentation of a bowl of shamrocks, as Ahern pressed for continued US support for the peace process.

"We accept this crystal of shamrocks, not just as a symbol of Ireland, but as a symbol of a strong friendship between our nations, our shared values and shared history and shared hopes," Bush told Ahern as he received the bowl accompanied by First Lady Laura Bush, who was dressed in green, Ireland's national color, to mark the occasion.

Complementing Ahern on his efforts toward Northern Ireland's peace process, Bush said: "The peace that holds today in Northern Ireland is (a) tribute to the prime minister and his courageous leadership.

"And I assured him, and will continue to do so, that the United States stands ready to help in any way that the governments involved need."

Moments before, Ahern underlined the strong traditional and economic bonds that exist between the two nations, underlining their shared commitment to "freedom, democracy and human rights."

"For many years now, Americans of both parties in the administration, in Congress and in the states and cities across this great country have supported efforts to achieve a lasting and a comprehensive political settlement in Ireland.

"As the British and Irish governments and the political parties now work together to complete the implementation of Good Friday Agreement, it is good to be able to count on true friends," he said.

Forty-four million Americans are of Irish descent.