Ulster Unionist leader: We told the US envoy to Northern Ireland that all the elements of the Belfast Agreement need support

Yesterday I met the United States Special Envoy to Northern Ireland Mick Mulvaney at Stormont.
By Steve Aiken
Published 30th Sep 2020, 06:00 BST
Updated 30th Sep 2020, 10:31 BST
US Special Envoy Mick Mulvaney, wearing the hat, is shown round Belfast city centre on Tuesday by Belfast Chamber chief executive Simon Hamilton. Also yesterday, he met the Ulster Unionist Party. Photo by Kelvin Boyes/Press EyeUS Special Envoy Mick Mulvaney, wearing the hat, is shown round Belfast city centre on Tuesday by Belfast Chamber chief executive Simon Hamilton. Also yesterday, he met the Ulster Unionist Party. Photo by Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye
US Special Envoy Mick Mulvaney, wearing the hat, is shown round Belfast city centre on Tuesday by Belfast Chamber chief executive Simon Hamilton. Also yesterday, he met the Ulster Unionist Party. Photo by Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye

The Ulster Unionist Party chief whip Robbie Butler was also at the meeting.

It provided the opportunity to meet with Mr Mulvaney and to raise a number of issues with him, not least our concern and frustration at how a number of politicians are incorrectly misrepresenting the Belfast Agreement in the current Brexit withdrawal negotiations and completely ignoring the unionist position.

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We stressed that the Belfast Agreement must be supported in all its forms and that any barriers to trade within the United Kingdom are unacceptable to all of us who put interests of Northern Ireland and its people first.

Steve Aiken is leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and MLA for South AntrimSteve Aiken is leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and MLA for South Antrim
Steve Aiken is leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and MLA for South Antrim

We discussed the issue of State Aid which is causing so much angst to Dublin as Brexit approaches, and highlighted the importance of the UK government being able to support Bombardier and the local aerospace industry and how this must not be thwarted by Northern Ireland being subject to rulings from the European Court of Justice.

We also briefed the special envoy on the need for arrangements to examine the legacy of the Troubles to be fair to all, including former police officers and soldiers, and that we will not accept the rewriting of history.

We highlighted the in-built unfairness of a process whereby the focus was on the forces of the state, who were responsible for 10% of the historic deaths, and not on the terrorist groups responsible for 90% of them.

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We also pointed out the inequity of a system whereby state records can be trawled in pursuit of police officers and soldiers, yet obviously no equivalent reliable records are held by the terror gangs.

Consequently, the spotlight inevitably falls once again on former police officers and soldiers, with no pretence of equality before the law or a level playing field.

It was a very positive meeting.

We look forward to continuing our engagement with the US government as we move forward.

• Steve Aiken is leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and MLA for South Antrim

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Related topics:Northern IrelandRobbie ButlerUnited KingdomBrexitSteve Aiken