Viewpoint: President gives us the seal of approval

Opinion

124-144 Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1EB, Northern Ireland
Telephone: (028) 9026 4000
Fax: (028) 9055 4518
E-mail: editor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Editor: Martin Lindsay

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Anyone who thought that America's interest in the Northern Ireland peace process was a temporary phenomenon has been pleasantly surprised by the latest developments.

Not only is President Bush stopping here on his farewell tour, but Omagh could be the beneficiary of more than 300 jobs and millions of dollars of US investment.

Although there is a tradition that retiring Presidents do the rounds of friendly nations before quitting the stage, no one would have guessed before last December that Belfast would have been on the White House itinerary.

But President Bush was so impressed by the former adversaries, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, during a lengthy Washington meeting that he is keeping his promise of a return visit — despite missing the US investment conference earlier this month.

Not everyone is an admirer of the President, but his presence must help to focus world attention on political and economic progress in Northern Ireland.

The Good Friday and St Andrews Agreements are held up as models of compromise, in divided nations, and it is equally important that world leaders understand that investment is an essential part of the package.

President Bush will be endorsing devolution at the Stormont Assembly and, in the process, he will be introducing the new partnership of Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness to the wider world.

All eyes will be on Mr Robinson, as he tackles the unsolved issues that have dogged the last days of Ian Paisley, and his task must be eased by securing the goodwill of the American president, as well as Gordon Brown and Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

While the President's visit can be seen as another success for the investment conference, the news of an actual development plan for Omagh is even more welcome.

An American business consortium has chosen the town which was a centre of world attention 10 years ago as the site for a major development, involving a hotel, offices and a media centre, as well as retail facilities.

This is just the kind of investment that every town west of the Bann — and east of it too — is looking for, to stimulate the local economy and keep the brightest people from leaving.

It amounts to a massive vote of confidence in a town that has picked itself off the floor, after a terrible tragedy, and there is still ample room for careful cross-community development in the Lisanelly and St Lucia sites.

The effect of the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and the first year of the new Assembly, as well as wholesale changes in political leadership, has been to keep Northern Ireland in the headlines, for all the right reasons.

In troubled economic times, this is the best hope for a more prosperous and peaceful future.