US President Mr George W Bush's adviser on Northern Ireland has met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Cowen in Dublin today to discuss the Northern situation.
Before the meeting Mr Cowen said they would review the political progress made in the Northern peace process so far, as well as the more recent "very serious problems that have emerged in north Belfast".
Speaking to journalists on his arrival, Mr Haass said the United States would do anything it could to help make the North a safer place for people of all community, and that he hoped there would be would direct links between the law enforcement services in the US and Northern Ireland.
When asked of his view on the British government’s efforts to combat the recent upsurge in loyalist violence, he said the US wanted to see the two governments do everything to deal with the situation.
But he said everything depends on what happens in the North: "It is up to the new police service to everything in its power to deal with this challenge.
"This is not something that simply comes from one direction. Most recently we have focused on loyalist violence, and that has been growing and is a real concern. There is simply no place for it whatsoever in politics," Mr Haass said.
"Alas it is not the only form of violence that Northern Ireland has known, and this is something that the new police service is going to have to deal with comprehensively across the board".
Mr Cowen paid tribute to the continued role the US has played in helping both governments with the peace process. "It is important to acknowledge the tremendous work the Bush administration has done since it took office," he said..
Mr Haass will travel to Belfast tomorrow for talks with key political figures. During his two-day visit, he is also due to meet the North’s new Police Board.