The White House warmly welcomed the Sinn Fein call for a restoration of the IRA ceasefire. A spokesman said: "The United States as long-term supporters of the peace process warmly welcomes the news that the Sinn Fein leadership has urged the IRA to call a new ceasefire. We very much hope that the IRA will implement a lasting ceasefire."
The spokesman said they would just have to wait and see if a ceasefire was announced. On Capitol Hill, the Ad-Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs was also preparing a statement in the event of the ceasefire.