New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said he would be "happy and honoured" to visit Northern Ireland when he was invited by the joint leaders of its power-sharing executive today.
First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness met the mayor inside City Hall in New York at the start of their first overseas trip together.
The symbolism of the week-long joint visit to the United States will not be lost on their US audience as the two MPs strive to show Northern Ireland has left its troubled past behind and is open for investment.
During the meeting, Mr Bloomberg said he would be "happy and honoured" to go to Northern Ireland.
He told them: "We are honoured to have both of you here in our country and particularly in our city. I think all of us here have enormous respect for what the two of you have done to pull people together."
The mayor said the Republic of Ireland has become "one of the stars of the EU" in terms of economic development and said "well educated young Irish people" were now going to the Republic of Ireland for opportunities, rather than America.
"And I think you'll find they'll soon be going to Northern Ireland as well," he said.
The two leaders of the Stormont Executive sat either side of the mayor as they invited him to join them in Northern Ireland following an economic conference there next year.
Mr McGuinness said it was important to "continue the momentum" following the conference.
The pair laughed and talked with Mr Bloomberg during the 45-minute meeting and the mayor joked he would visit Northern Ireland if they could find a good golf course.
Mr McGuinness told the mayor and New York City council speaker Christine Quinn: "These are good times now.
"Our message essentially is that we're open for business, and I think the best judges of all of this are the American companies who work with us at the moment. We're hoping that with your visit some time next year, if you can manage to come, that that will be a further momentum to the economic investment conference in May."
"The best way for people to see that we have peace and stability is, obviously, to look what we're doing here, but more importantly, to come and see what's happening, to see the positive developments that have taken place."
Following the talks, Dr Paisley said it had been a worthwhile meeting in which the mayor had shared "some of the city's success stories such as the significant reduction in crime and job creation".
He went on: "We can learn lessons from such a city. The Deputy First Minister and I have invited Mayor Bloomberg to lead a business delegation to Northern Ireland in the near future which we hope will continue our already strong economic relationship with the US.
"Northern Ireland has entered into a new era where the focus is very much on building economic prosperity. We will take this message to the President when we meet him on Friday."
The First and Deputy First Ministers are taking part in a five-day visit to the United States where they will meet business leaders and influential political figures.
Addressing a business meeting, Dr Paisley said: "We have entered a new era where our key priority is to build economic prosperity, taking all the great assets of Northern Ireland and creating business opportunities that will offer a good return for investment for you, and that will also benefit all of our people."
Mr McGuinness added: "I think it's tremendous to be able to come to New York at a time of peace in Ireland."
Referring to conflicts around the world, he said: "If our effort on the island of Ireland is an example in any way, then we would be very delighted for people to learn the lessons."
Further business meetings, including a visit to the Nasdaq headquarters in Times Square on Wednesday, are planned throughout the week.
The leaders of the Stormont Executive hope to send a clear message that now devolution has returned, Northern Ireland is ready to do business.
They also plan to meet President George Bush at the White House on Friday.
PA