NATIONALIST leaders in the north have welcomed the introduction of a US Senate resolution supporting the Good Friday Agreement and the protocol.
Reflecting Washington's recent increased focus on post-Brexit Ireland and the peace process, the resolution makes clear that any new or amended US-UK trade agreements should ensure the conditions of the 1998 accord are met.
It asserts the Senate's support for the "full implementation” of the agreement and efforts “to support peace on the island of Ireland”, while also calling for “continuing attention and action to resolve the injustices of past violence, including state-sponsored violence".
Sponsored by Democrat Robert Menendez and Republican Susan Collins, and co-signed by a further 13 senators, the resolution was introduced ahead of yesterday's series of high level transatlantic meetings to coincide with St Patrick's Day.
The Senate is expected to vote on it next month, potentially to coincide with the 23rd anniversary of the signing of the agreement.
Mr Menendez said the agreement "remains unfinished" and that he and his colleagues were calling for "renewed attention and action to implement the agreement’s provisions, including the passage of a bill of rights and accountability for past injustices".
Ms Collins said that while "enormous progress" had been made over the past two decades, important issues remained unresolved.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill described the resolution as "unprecedented" and said its bipartisan support reflected the "depth of support for our peace process and agreements.
“I welcome the continuing support for our peace process, the right to self-determination as defined in the Good Friday Agreement, and for the campaign by families for access to truth and justice," she said.
"The British government needs to listen to this call and implement the Good Friday Agreement, the Stormont House Agreement, and the Irish Protocol as a matter of urgency."
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Capitol Hill had "always stood up for peace and partnership" in the north.
"The latest Senate resolution is just another example of their commitment to the Good Friday Agreement," the Foyle MP said.
"The British government should take that under serious consideration as they seek to undermine progress to pursue a narrow Brexit agenda."
Relatives for Justice CEO Mark Thompson said his group had received support from Irish-America for many years.
"This has been of immense importance as families continue to face British government intransigence and bad faith on legacy," he said.
“This resolution now speaks to the political support that families have in the United States and we are encouraged that the entire resolution is framed in international human rights law and the peace process."
