February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Mr Robinson has written to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to raise his concerns about the development.
In last week’s Irish Echo the head of California Democratic Party, John Burton, said the world had waited “much too long” for the unification of Ireland.
“The continuous struggle to obtain a united Ireland has gone on for much too long but now Irish Americans have a chance again to use their influence to support a peaceful solution to this issue,” said John Burton, who chairs the California Democratic Party.
“Our task now is to lobby our elected officials and government so that they in turn can influence governments across the world to support a united Ireland.”
“This is an issue which all people should be concerned about, regardless of background. American governments were paying too much attention to what the British government wanted in Ireland instead of paying attention to what the Irish people wanted. We have an opportunity now to adopt a new approach.”
Writing in his capacity as DUP leader, Mr Robinson said: “I hope we will see the administration openly distancing itself from this motion adopted by the California Democratic Party.”
“I have no doubt that the adoption of this foolish motion by one state Democratic Party will seem of limited importance to the White House or the US State Department, nevertheless it raises concerns with people here in Northern Ireland,” he said.
“The Democrats control all three branches of the United States government: the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Presidency.
“It is vitally important that they are seen to be adopting a neutral and even-handed policy on Northern Ireland.
“Any sign that the administration favours one political point of view in Northern Ireland over another could have potentially damaging and destabilising consequences for US-Northern Ireland relations.”
Mr Robinson said that the Bush administration had been successful in its work with the Northern Ireland because it was seen as an “honest broker that did not pick sides.
“People want to see the Obama administration adopt an honest-broker role,” he said. “The adoption of a resolution supporting a united Ireland is not compatible with such a position prevailing.”
The First Minister said that both President Obama and Mrs Clinton had given him verbal assurances during past meetings that they would be supportive of “both traditions” in Northern Ireland and would not “engage on behalf of any sectional interests”.
The California Democrat move came in wake of Sinn F