United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland

The United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland or more formally, the "Special Envoy of the President and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland" is the top U.S. diplomat supporting the Northern Ireland peace process. [ [http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/intlrel/hfa20057.000/hfa20057_0.htm US Congress Records, Northern Ireland and Human Rights: Update on the Corry Collusion Inquiry Reports, 16 March 2005] ]

Origins

Traditionally U.S. leaders were reluctant to get involved in the Troubles in Northern Ireland taking the view that it was primarily an internal matter for their close ally, the United Kingdom. [SOURCE] However when Bill Clinton became U.S. President that changed. When Clinton was on the campaign trail as the Democratic candidate for President in 1992, he suggested both orally and in a letter to Congressman Bruce Morrison that he would favour the appointment of a Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. [ [http://clinton6.nara.gov/1993/02/1993-02-24-am-press-briefing-by-dee-dee-myers.html White House Briefing, 23 February 1993] ] Clinton was not alone in supporting a more active U.S. involvement in Northern Ireland. On 23 February 1993, shortly after Clinton assumed Office as President, U.S. Congressman, Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy together with 16 co-sponsors sponsored a Congressional Resolution calling for the appointment of a Special Envoy. The Resolution called that it be: [ [http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c103:H.CON.RES.49: U.S. House Concurrent Resolution 49 of the 103rd Congress, 1st Session (H. CON. RES. 49) - concerning the appointment of a special envoy to Northern Ireland.] The Resolution also recalled that "“the list of human rights abuses involving the British Government is lengthy and well documented”" and that "“the United States has a unique opportunity to insist that Great Britain adhere to recognized standards of international law in Northern Ireland”".]

However, the proposed Resolution initially came to nothing. [ [http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d103:1:./temp/~bd5voP:: The Resolution tabled was referred to House Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East where no decision was made - Source: U.S. Congress online records] ] Nevertheless, Clinton discussed the prospect of appointing a Special Envoy with the Irish premier, Albert Reynolds when the two leaders first met on St. Patrick's Day in 1993. However Clinton deferred any appointment. [ [ http://clinton6.nara.gov/1993/03/1993-03-17-presidents-remarks-annual-presentation-of-bowl-of-shamrocks.html White House St. Patrick’s Day Speech of President Clinton on 17 March 1993] ] When the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) declared a ceasefire in 1994, Sinn Féin party leader, Gerry Adams urged Washington to play a "nudging role" as it did in South Africa and the Middle East. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9404E1DB1738F932A3575AC0A962958260&scp=1&sq=%22Envoy%22+and+%22northern+Ireland%22&st=nyt CEASE-FIRE IN NORTHERN IRELAND: THE LEADER; How Adams Proved Again He Is Major Force for Peace, New York Times, 1 September 1994] ] Congressman Bruce Morrison was considered a potential candidate. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9404E1DB1738F932A3575AC0A962958260&scp=1&sq=%22Envoy%22+and+%22northern+Ireland%22&st=nyt CEASE-FIRE IN NORTHERN IRELAND: THE LEADER; How Adams Proved Again He Is Major Force for Peace, New York Times, 1 September 1994] ]

George Mitchell

It was not until 1995 that a decision to appoint a Special Envoy was finally made. The announcement of the appointment of former U.S. Senator, George Mitchell as Special Envoy initially "infuriated" the London government. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2927845.stm US policy and Northern Ireland, BBC News story, 8 April 2003] ] Mitchell was recognised as being more than a token envoy but someone representing a President with a deep interest in events. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2927845.stm US policy and Northern Ireland, BBC News story, 8 April 2003] However, around the time of Mitchell’s appointment, it was agreed with both the British, premier John Major and his Irish counterpart John Bruton that Mitchell would chair an international commission on disarmament of paramilitary groups. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A03EEDD1139F933A05752C1A963958260&scp=2&sq=%22George+Mitchell%22+and+%22northern+Ireland%22&st=nyt New York Times, November 30, 1995] ] Mitchell went on to successfully chair the talks that resulted in the Belfast Agreement (also known as the "Good Friday Agreement").

Later rnvoys

The United States has continued to support the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and has demonstrated its readiness to assist the process in any way. [ [ http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/06/20030610-15.html White House website statement dated 10 June 2003 entitled Statement on Secretary of State for Northern Ireland] ] President Bush announced on 10 June 2003 his intention to designate Ambassador Richard N. Haass as the Special Envoy. [ [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/06/20030610-15.html White House website statement dated 10 June 2003 entitled Statement on Secretary of State for Northern Ireland] ] Haas was an active Envoy. In 2001, within a week of the Al Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington, Mr Haass warned Irish Republicans that the suspected links between the IRA and Colombian terrorist groups could have "potentially serious consequences for the role of the United States in the peace process". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2927845.stm US policy and Northern Ireland, BBC News story, 8 April 2003] ] Later, Mr Haass attacked then Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble for setting a deadline for pulling out of power-sharing, accusing him of adding to a sense of crisis. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2927845.stm US policy and Northern Ireland, BBC News story, 8 April 2003] ] Later, Mitchell Reiss was appointed as the Special Envoy. At the invitation of the British and Irish governments, Special Envoy Reiss participated in the peace process negotiations that took plac at Leeds Castle in 2004. [ [http://dublin.usembassy.gov/index/embassy-news/ambassador/ambassador-remarks/ambassadors-remarks-2004/ambrmks101404pg.html Ambassador Kenny's Remarks on Ireland’s “Special Relationship” with Europe and America on 12 October 2004] ] On 15 February 2007, Paula Dobriansky, the U.S. Undersecretary for Democracy and Global Affairs at the State Department, was designaged the U.S. Envoy to Northern Ireland. [ [http://dublin.usembassy.gov/amb_nienvoy.html U.S. Embassy to Ireland – US Special Envoy on Northern Ireland] ] The transition from the former Special Envoy, Ambassador Mitchell Reiss, took place on February 15, 2007. [ [ http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ireland/northern_ireland.html U.S. Embassy to Ireland – Press Release concerning Ms. Dobriansky’s appointment] ] In February 2008, Special Envoy Dobriansky led a trade mission to Belfast. [ [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/feb/101134.htm U.S. State Department website press release dated 20 February 2008 entitled Special Envoy Dobriansky Leading Investment Mission to Northern Ireland] ]

Each of the Special Envoys has periodically reported to U.S. Congressional Committees on their activities and the status of the Northern Ireland peace process and other matters concerning Northern Ireland. [ [http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/intlrel/hfa20057.000/hfa20057_0.htm US Congress Records, Northern Ireland and Human Rights: Update on the Corry Collusion Inquiry Reports, 16 March 2005] ] [ [http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100688.pdf The United States and post-Agreement Northern Ireland, 2001–6, Mary Alice C. Clancy, School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, Queen’s University, Belfast] ] [ [http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/intlrel/hfa21397.000/hfa21397_0f.htm Hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats - Northern Ireland: Prospects for the Peace Process, 25 May 2005 (Serial No. 109–56)] ]

Future

The U.S. has at times contemplated whether to terminate the position of U.S. Special Envoy on Northern Ireland. In 2001, then U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell stated in response to questions that: [ [http://seoul.usembassy.gov/030801_2.html U.S. Embassy to Korea website, Report dated 8 March 2001 concerning a Presidential Visit] ]

quotation|It is not yet clear whether a special Northern Ireland envoy, such as the role played by former Senator George Mitchell, will beappointed, but the State Department will identify someone in thedepartment to take on "as a primary additional duty" serving in acommunication role... [adding that appointing such anenvoy will be taken under advisement] if the situation moves in a waythat suggests it takes that kind of high-level special envoyinvolvement.

More recently, Democratic Party candidate for the U.S. Presidency, Barack Obama was reported in The Irish Times as having questioned the necessity to keep a U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. [ [http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0827/1219680033214.html Obama would review necessity of US special envoy to North, Irish Times, 27 August 2008] ] This drew a robust response from the the Republican Party U.S. Presedential candidate, Senator John McCain. McCain has strongly backed retaining a U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. The Senator criticised Senator Obama’s position as demonstrating a willingness: [ [http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/PressReleases/8b2142b3-4429-4efd-ac84-275287a29c09.htm Statement by McCain Campaign on Barack Obama and Northern Ireland, John McCain Presidential campaign website press statement, 27 August 2008] ]

References