Unionists need to counter Sinn Fein claims in America, and to take every opportunity to educate US policy makers

An advert paid for by Friends of Sinn Fein that appeared in major US newspapers calling for the “Irish government to promote and plan for unity” and for the US government and public representatives “to urge the British Government to set the date for the Unity Referendum” is ludicrous.

The advert states “The Good Friday Agreement provides for a referendum on Irish unity” when in reality, the agreement states very clearly that Northern Ireland will remain part of the UK unless a majority say otherwise.

To say that it ‘provides’ for it is a stretch. The advert goes on: “The unionist (Pro-Union with Britain) electoral majority in the North is gone. Their rights, and the rights of all, are guaranteed in a United Ireland. It will be a welcoming home for all.”

In reality, not all unionists vote for unionist parties and I don’t believe my rights would be respected in a united Ireland or that I would be made to feel welcome in it.

This ‘new Ireland’, the advert claims, seeks to “undo the damage of the undemocratic partition of Ireland 100 years ago” when in reality, the Irish Republic was a signatory to the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty that the Dail approved in 1922, which the Irish Free State registered at the League of Nations in 1924.

No wonder many US policy makers are ignorant of UK-Irish history and agreements if this is what they are reading.

It is imperative that all unionist representatives educate US policy makers at every opportunity on what events took place, when and what the literal text of any UK-Irish agreement actually says.

Michael Palmer, UUP member Newtownards

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