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TÁNAISTE AND MINISTER for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is travelling to the United States today to attend a number of events in New York and Washington DC.
In New York, Coveney will take part in engagements in support of Ireland’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The election for this will take place next year.
In Washington, he is due to join a number of EU counterparts and representatives from over 70 countries in attending a ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat Isis, of which Ireland is a member.
The Tánaiste will meet with US Secretary Mike Pompeo during the meeting.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that engaging with Pompeo, meeting with the Congressional Friends of Ireland, as well as many other meetings with Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress, will offer valuable opportunities for Coveney to discuss priority issues.
These issues include Northern Ireland, Brexit, immigration, Ireland’s economic relationship and foreign policy issues, including the Middle East, the Department said.
Coveney will also address a large event on Capitol Hill tomorrow with Congressional Friends of Ireland to mark the centenary of the First Dáil at the commencement of the 116th US Congress.
As part of that event, the Tánaiste will launch the government’s new strategy for the US and Canada for the period to 2025, under the Global Ireland Initiative.
“I and my government colleagues are determined to protect, invest in and develop Ireland’s relationship with the US and with Canada for the future. We want these relationships to thrive for the benefit of all our citizens,” Coveney said.
What’s envisaged in this strategy is nothing less than a step-change in our engagement, and an engagement commensurate with the importance of the relationships, taking account of the new geopolitical realities and demographic change.
“An unprecedented level of investment in our presence and capacity across the US and Canada will enable us to build new partnerships, at every level, and in every region,” he said.”
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Coveney, great fella for launching pointless strategies, as we saw when he was housing minister.
One idea would be to lift the harse US and EU sanctions of Syria….Syrian army and Russian air force have done much of the fighting in Syria against IS….Outside the Kurdish area…Keeping Syria impoverished and in ruins only punishes the Syrian people not the Assad regime….
@iComment: and Simon Coveney is going to achieve that? I doubt they will listen to him even when they ask white or red wine at the many junket dinners.
Today saw reports about how the British are worried about Irish-American influence in Congress. Let’s hope the Israel obsessives don’t damage Ireland’s standing with the pointless Occupied Territories Bill. Stick to student politics.
@Goban Saor: well said.
Does anyone care what that useless muppet does.
@Michael Jerseys: I do as a lit of trade deals are done on trips like this
@Michael Jerseys: what a stupid one line comment with no backup.. takes one useless Muppet to know another useless Muppet
@Michael Jerseys: wow, SC is a v capable person IMO. Who did you vote for?
@Tony Lyons: doubt he actually does that. More like the officials
@Tra Hughes: Jerry Buttimer
@John Kelly: it’s the Muppet show !! what does he actually do
Who’s paying for the trip?
@Veronica: not you anyway I’d wager
He’ll do nothing, not a god dam thing
This idiot is more interested in lining his own pocket than he’s in looking after the people of Ireland. He’s probably looking for the support of the 4th Reich the head being Soros so he can start another terrorist group in Ireland
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