The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and the US special envoy to the North, Mr Richard Haass, today reiterated their desire to see the postponed Assembly elections proceed.
The elections were postponed by the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, last month, despite protestations from the Taoiseach and most of the North's political parties. Sinn Féin accused Mr Blair of "capitulation" to the Ulster Unionists. It looks unlikely that they will now be held until the autumn.
Speaking after their meeting in Iveagh House this morning, Mr Cowen said both the Irish and US governments were working towards the elections being held before the "target date" next autumn. They were "deeply committed" to this, Mr Haass added, saying the electorate of the North needed to know that should they go the polls, a restoration of the institutions would result.
Mr Cowen noted that both governments were "committed to the primacy of politics". It was vital for there to be a verifiable end to paramilitary activitiy for that to happen, but noted that the "deficit in trust and confidence" was "a two-way street". Unionists had their part to play in this, he said.
In spite of the current problems in the peace process, Mr Cowen that, compared to five years ago, "the day to day realities of people's lives in Northern Ireland are a million miles from where we were".
Mr Haass described the steps taken by republicans towards peace as "historic", and insisted that the people of the North were now "considerably better off" as a result. He was "encouraged" by steps being taken within republican and loyalist areas to avoid violent confrontations along sectarian interfaces this summer.
He also noted a recent poll in the News Letternewspaper that showed a significant majority of unionists will still willing to enter a power-sharing government with nationalists and republicans if the IRA were to move on arms. This illustrated that "politically and psychologically, the people of Northern Ireland had bought into the peace process", he said.
Mr Haass is due to meet the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, in Government Buildings this afternoon.
Mr Haass held a series of meetings with political parties in the North over the past two days, declaring afterwards that the US wished to see the postponed elections go ahead "as soon as possible". Following meetings with the UUP, the SDLP, Sinn Féin, the DUP and the Women's Coalition, he conceded there were "frustrations" in the peace process, but hope was not lost. "I see no reason whatsoever for people to be discouraged," he said. "We've had a setback...but this is not a crisis."
Mr Cowen met the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, for three and a half hours of talks in London yesterday. The Minister expressed his "serious concerns" afterwards about the "Stakeknife" controversy and the Stevens report findings of security forces collusion with loyalist murderers.