St Patrick's Day invites 'under review' - White House
The White House has dismissed newspaper reports that the North's political parties will be excluded from St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Washington.
A State Department spokeswoman said the issuing of invitations was still under review.
“No decision has been taken regarding invites being sent to Northern Ireland parties,” she said. “The issue is still under consideration.”
Diplomats and White House officials claimed they were baffled to receive calls inquiring why the parties had been excluded.
Newspapers reports suggested President George Bush had decided to bar republicans because they have been linked to the Northern Bank robbery and other IRA crimes.
The ban would also apply to all the North’s political parties, including the SDLP, the DUP and the Ulster Unionists, reports said.
It would have been the first time in more than a decade that Sinn Féin and the main unionist parties had not taken part in the March 17 showcase events.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil yesterday that a decision had already been taken by the US government on the issue but he did not specify further.
Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern is in Washington for a series of meetings today and is expected to be briefed on the situation.
