The new Irish Ambassador to the US, Mr Sean O Huiginn, has presented his credentials to President Clinton within a few days of his arrival in Washington. The Ambassador will fly to Mexico today to present his credentials to President Zedillo. He is also Ambassador to Mexico on a non-residential basis.
In his remarks to the President at the White House, the Ambassador recalled Mr Clinton's memorable visit to Ireland in 1995 during which the deep appreciation, in both parts of the island, for the supportive role the US was playing in ending the conflict in Northern Ireland was evident.
The Ambassador, who was accompanied by his wife, Bernadette, acknowledged the "unselfish and even-handed support which the President, Congress, and the American people generally have given to all those engaged in the search for lasting peace in Ireland". This support had been an invaluable resource for progress, he said, and would remain so in the future. The Ambassador also referred to the "cherished historical partnership between Ireland and the United States which had been so uniquely enriching for both countries". The same benign patterns were still manifest today in the interchanges in trade, tourism and culture.
US investment had played a major role in developing Ireland's industrial sector, he said, and in providing jobs for its young people. US investors found that Ireland provided a strategic location within the European Union which consistently earned a high return and he hoped that during his tenure these links would be further strengthened and developed. Mr O Huiginn replaces Mr Dermot Gallagher who has returned to Dublin to take up the post of Head of the Anglo-Irish Division previously held by Mr O Huiginn.