The new Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has urged US businessmen to grasp the opportunity offered by political stability in the North.
Mr Cowen was speaking at a gala dinner last night that brought an end to a major two-day conference aimed at attracting investment to the North.
He said economic progress was needed to underpin the peace process and urged US executives to take advantage of the stability offered by the establishment of the power-sharing institutions.
His comments were echoed by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, while First Minister Ian Paisley also assured the US businessmen in attendance that the conflict in the North is over.
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