Posted on 03/04/2005 4:37:16 PM PST by aculeus
WASHINGTON (AP) - Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern is expected to be at the White House to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with President Bush, but Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams is awaiting word on whether he can visit the United States.
If Adams obtains a visa it will have restrictions, but their nature remains to be worked out, a U.S. official said Friday on condition of anonymity.
Ahern is to present a traditional bowl of shamrocks to Bush at the March 17 ceremony.
While Adams has not been invited to the White House, he wants to come to Washington to meet with members of Congress.
Adams, the leader of the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, announced Thursday the suspension of seven members for alleged involvement in a fight in a Belfast pub that ended with the murder of a Catholic man.
Meanwhile, the White House on Friday issued a statement saying Ahern would meet with Bush in the Oval Office on St. Patrick's Day, followed by a reception attended by "civil society leaders." Adams and other political leaders involved in the Northern Ireland peace process were not among those invited.
The president chose not to invite the political leaders to the White House this year given the lack of progress in the peace negotiations, said a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
AP-ES-03-04-05 1807EST
-good times, G.J.P. (Jr.)
Why would he need a visa in the first place?
"up in the air" - isn't part of the Bush doctrine to fight terrorism, we are just going to allow this kind of scum in to the country.
So9
He's not a citizen.
I'm sure that there are still a few Marxist retreads who would welcome his presence.
:)
-good times, G.J.P. (Jr.)
Didn't the IRA just get caught robbing banks?
you are so right - terrorists don't need visas - they need jail time.
Ping.
Forgot to add:
"While Adams has not been invited to the White House, he wants to come to Washington to meet with members of Congress".
Code for "needs to pick up check from Teddy and John F'n Kerry (be sure to bring Tehrehza some Irish Whisky)"
I know he isn't,but I thought they didn't need a visa from Ireland or Northern Ireland.
He'll no doubt be staying with the Kennedy's.
:)
-good times, G.J.P. (Jr.)
Their fingers are all over it - seems they can't burn the cash fast enough like that shinner in Cork who was caught burning Northern Irish cash. He was the guy who Martin McGuinness claimed he never knew, only for someone to dig up a video clip of the two of them having a very friendly banter!
It could be as simple as British delays in implementing machine readable passports.
"The Patriot Act legislated that all Visa Waiver Program travelers must have a machine-readable passport. As of October 26, 2004, if a visa waiver traveler does not have a machine-readable passport (MRP), then the traveler must present a U.S. visa at the port of entry to enter the U.S. This includes all categories of passports -- regular, diplomatic, and official, when the traveler is seeking to enter the U.S. for business or tourist purposes, for a maximum of 90 days." http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html
Ossama bin Laden is coming to the Wh for Ramadan
Gerry must be remembering the love-fest photo ops he and bill clinton used to have. I can't see george letting him in the u.s. Gerry hasn't gotten the message.
Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware of that!!!
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