President Bush gives Bertie Ahern the Shamrock and asks, "Where's the Vermeer, already"US cash could underpin devolution
It is hoped American money will underpin any new NI power-sharing administration, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness has told the BBC.
His comments came as Northern Ireland's politicians met George Bush at the official St Patrick's Day celebrations at the White House.
Irish PM Bertie Ahern presented a bowl of shamrock to the US President.
The president paid tribute to the leadership of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and said he stood ready to help.
Mr Ahern said the Northern Ireland political process was now at the point of completion.
"Mr President, I believe we are closer, than at any time in our past in Ireland, to a resolution to one of the oldest conflicts in history," said Mr Ahern.
"I hope that our journey can give inspiration and hope to other parts of the world that are in conflict and where people are suffering and in despair."
Mr Ahern briefed President Bush about the prospects for devolution.
Most party leaders have opted to stay at home to concentrate on negotiations around power-sharing.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain warned Democratic Unionists who thought they could "sneak by" the 26 March deadline for establishing power-sharing would find they had made the "biggest political mistake of their lives" if it is not met,
"My concern, having listened to some of the chatter and speculation is that some of those people who are saying they can't make March 26 - but they might be able to make May or October, or next year or the following year - are going to wake up on March 27 and find they have made the most catastrophic mistake of their political lives."
'Mood of optimisim'
The plight of victims and concerns about collusion have taken centre stage in Washington.
Raymond McCord, whose son's murder was the subject of a Police Ombudsman's report into collusion, was present.
He is asking the American administration to press the British government over his son's murder and the protection afforded by some special branch officers to loyalist informants involved in murder and other serious crime.
Mr McCord was part of a cross-community delegation led by Relatives for Justice.
Meanwhile, John Finucane, the son of the murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, has told the BBC that he and his mother were introduced to the US President at the White House.
Mr Finucane, along with his mother Geraldine, was introduced to George Bush by Bertie Ahern.
It is understood the meeting followed diplomatic lobbying behind the scenes.
Mr Finucane said the meeting was brief, but beneficial as it followed Thursday night's Senate resolution demanding an independent inquiry into the Finucane murder.
The McCartney sisters, Pauline and Catherine, were also at the White House seeking justice for their brother Robert.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's only Green Party assembly member, Brian Wilson, turned down an invite to the event.
In a statement the party said a two-way trip across the Atlantic to for the event was "not a compelling reason, morally or practically, for emitting half a tonne of CO2".
Business leaders in Northern Ireland have said they believe an economic package of more than £5bn is needed to kick-start and transform the local economy.
The Northern Ireland Business Alliance said the money must be part of any political settlement because a peace process which does not improve the economic lot of people may not be sustainable.
It is hoped American money will underpin any new NI power-sharing administration, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness has told the BBC.
His comments came as Northern Ireland's politicians met George Bush at the official St Patrick's Day celebrations at the White House.
Irish PM Bertie Ahern presented a bowl of shamrock to the US President.
The president paid tribute to the leadership of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and said he stood ready to help.
Mr Ahern said the Northern Ireland political process was now at the point of completion.
"Mr President, I believe we are closer, than at any time in our past in Ireland, to a resolution to one of the oldest conflicts in history," said Mr Ahern.
"I hope that our journey can give inspiration and hope to other parts of the world that are in conflict and where people are suffering and in despair."
Mr Ahern briefed President Bush about the prospects for devolution.
Most party leaders have opted to stay at home to concentrate on negotiations around power-sharing.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain warned Democratic Unionists who thought they could "sneak by" the 26 March deadline for establishing power-sharing would find they had made the "biggest political mistake of their lives" if it is not met,
"My concern, having listened to some of the chatter and speculation is that some of those people who are saying they can't make March 26 - but they might be able to make May or October, or next year or the following year - are going to wake up on March 27 and find they have made the most catastrophic mistake of their political lives."
'Mood of optimisim'
The plight of victims and concerns about collusion have taken centre stage in Washington.
Raymond McCord, whose son's murder was the subject of a Police Ombudsman's report into collusion, was present.
He is asking the American administration to press the British government over his son's murder and the protection afforded by some special branch officers to loyalist informants involved in murder and other serious crime.
Mr McCord was part of a cross-community delegation led by Relatives for Justice.
Meanwhile, John Finucane, the son of the murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, has told the BBC that he and his mother were introduced to the US President at the White House.
Mr Finucane, along with his mother Geraldine, was introduced to George Bush by Bertie Ahern.
It is understood the meeting followed diplomatic lobbying behind the scenes.
Mr Finucane said the meeting was brief, but beneficial as it followed Thursday night's Senate resolution demanding an independent inquiry into the Finucane murder.
The McCartney sisters, Pauline and Catherine, were also at the White House seeking justice for their brother Robert.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's only Green Party assembly member, Brian Wilson, turned down an invite to the event.
In a statement the party said a two-way trip across the Atlantic to for the event was "not a compelling reason, morally or practically, for emitting half a tonne of CO2".
Business leaders in Northern Ireland have said they believe an economic package of more than £5bn is needed to kick-start and transform the local economy.
The Northern Ireland Business Alliance said the money must be part of any political settlement because a peace process which does not improve the economic lot of people may not be sustainable.
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Art Hostage comments:
Every single piece of the jigsaw has been put in place by Art Hostage over the last year.
General Thomas Slab Murphy has gained control of the Vermeer and has been willing to exchange it for the Sectarian Tax demand of the Murphy family to be withdrawn.
Sinn Fein have fulfilled all their political obligations and now stand ready to assume power alongside the DUP/UDA.
Such is the need for U.S. money as investment in the new peaceful Northern part of Ireland, any request from FBI Agent Robert Wittman for the return of the Vermeer will be met forthwith by the Republican movement.
Publicly the deal can be spun as "Pork on US. investment" in Northern Ireland, giving cover to the withdrawal of the Sectarian Tax demand of the Murphy family.
Never has the window of opportunity for recovering the Vermeer been open as wide.
Anything less than the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum issuing a press release stating the Vermeer has been recovered is a travesty, and the missing of a political opportunity and must be viewed as negligence by all concerned in authority.
Art Hostage has learnt that it has been Irish Authorities who have been stalling the Vermeer deal but inclusion of Irish illegals in America into a guest worker program has smoothed the way.
If the Vermeer has not already been recovered then it is imminent.
With regards other artworks stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, they will surface in the coming months on American soil where they sit in the Hollywood museum of the missing.
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