US presidential hopeful Senator John Kerry has been briefed on the Northern Ireland peace process by Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness, it has emerged.
The Democratic candidate for the White House met Mr McGuinness in Boston last Friday, where the Sinn Féin MP discussed the current political deadlock with opinion-formers and political allies.
Mr McGuinness confirmed: "During the short encounter I took the opportunity to brief the senator on the present state of the peace process and bring him up to date on Sinn Féin's efforts to get the process back on track and have the \ Agreement implemented in full.
"I also thanked him for his recent statement in support of the agreement and the need for inclusivity."
Senator Kerry angered the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists when his campaign attacked them for "refusing to form a government with Sinn Féin" in a strongly worded statement to Irish American groups on the peace process.
The Massachusetts senator also urged the IRA and loyalists to get rid of all their weapons and end all paramilitary activity. But his campaign team was also highly critical of President Bush's handling of the peace process.
Senator Kerry's statement claimed the Bush administration had failed to build on former President Bill Clinton's efforts to promote the peace process when he was in the White House.
"John Kerry will put the Northern Ireland peace process high on America's foreign policy agenda," the statement indicated.
"On this issue, he will continue to follow the path set by Senator Kennedy, President Clinton and Senator Mitchell. John Kerry believes that President Bush has failed to recognise the importance of building on the work of President Clinton in facilitating the peace process.
"There was not a US ambassador in Ireland in more than a year. President Bush's lack of urgency in naming a new ambassador to Ireland and the absence of presidential involvement in efforts to further the peace process are clear evidence that Ireland is not a high priority for the Bush administration."
Sinn Féin has been anticipating a difficult week in the United States when its leaders Mr Gerry Adams and Mr McGuinness head to the White House for President Bush's St Patrick's Day celebrations on Wednesday.
President Bush is expected to back calls from the British and Irish governments for republicans to wind down the IRA and get involved in policing.
PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde will also join the White House celebrations.
The British and Irish governments have faced demands for sanctions against Sinn Féin in the talks on the future of devolution.
Unionists and the Alliance Party believe the party should be penalised following claims that the IRA were behind the attempted kidnapping of Belfast republican Bobby Tohill.