AS United States ambassador in Dublin during the Irish Presidency of the European Union. I look forward to working closely with the Taoiseach, the Tanaiste and other Government officials to strengthen the transatlantic partnership.

The United States and Ireland have a long and happy relationship based on strong cultural ties. The strong commitment President Clinton has made to support the peace process in Northern Ireland is a sign of the partnership between our two nations.

The depth of friendship between our two peoples has been exhibited by the outpouring of affection when the US President visited Dublin last December and the warm reception received by President Robinson on her recent visit to the United States.

Because "we speak the same language", 430 US companies have further strengthened the US Irish partnership by establishing operations in Ireland which employ 60,000 personnel. In many cases, these companies have located in Ireland because of its membership of the European Union.

Our relationship is expanding and deepening in ways that might have not seemed possible over a decade ago, and US business as well as government leaders look to Ireland as a "transatlantic link" to the European Union.

As Presidents Clinton and Robinson recently stressed, challenges facing the international community, such as illicit drug trafficking, terrorism, environmental decay and disease, respect no boundary and require greater cooperation.

In the months ahead, my government will work closely with the Irish Government to achieve progress on the New Transatlantic Agenda, known as the NTA. Agreed by EU and US leaders in Madrid in December 1995, and reaffirmed at the June 12th USEU Summit in Washington, the NTA aims to advance prosperity, democracy, and security in its broadest sense, while addressing a range of specific issues that concern Europeans and Americans alike, such as crime, illicit drugs, the environment and health.

The NTA establishes four key goals for US EU joint action: promoting peace, development and democracy around the world; responding to global challenges; contributing to the expansion of world trade and closer economic ties; and building bridges across the Atlantic by encouraging closer communications between our business people, scientists, educators and others.

Promoting peace, development - and democracy around the world: the new tasks of the transatlantic partners which have a global reach expand the spirit and co-operation of the US-EU relationship to all of Europe and to the world.

When he addressed the Dail last year, President Clinton committed the United States to "being a partner with you for peace". While this was said in the context of the Northern Ireland peace process, it also characterises the dynamic of the transatlantic partnership between the United States and the European Union.

Ireland, during the next six months, will play a pre eminent role in our partnership to achieve the goal of promoting peace, development and democracy around the world.

We will build upon the progress made during the Italian presidency, securing the peace and assisting in reconstruction in Bosnia, co operating closely in our approaches in Central Europe and the new independent states, working to deal with humanitarian crises in Rwanda, Burundi and elsewhere, and continuing our efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, to name only a few areas.

PRESIDENT Clinton's decision on July 16th to suspend for six months certain provisions of the Helms Burton Act was in part based on our recognition of the positive steps the EU has taken in recent months to promote democratic reforms in Cuba.

The United States will make it a top priority during Ireland's EU Presidency to identify additional concrete steps the United States and European Union can take to speed the transition to democracy in Cuba.

President Clinton recently drew the attention of Americans to the important role Ireland has played in UN peacekeeping missions, with Irish citizens participating in missions for the last 40 years, most recently in Bosnia, where the Garda is training police officers.

As the US and its European Nato allies have considered ways to adapt to the new, post Cold War challenges, the Irish Government is also considering its future in a European security framework, indicating that it will explore the benefits which could be derived from joining the Partnership for Peace.

Responding to global challenges: there are many areas for potential co operation, under this heading, but the area that is a high priority for both the Irish and US governments is the fight against illegal drug trafficking.

The Irish Government has made a strong commitment to achieving progress on the EU level in the fight against Argus during its president. US and Irish officials will meet early in the Irish presidency to discuss ways in which we can increase co ordination of efforts to fight this global problem that has such devastating effects on our peoples.

The US and the EU have made progress in deepening the co operation in fighting crime, and we are completing talks on an agreement which aims to deny to drug traffickers the chemicals that are essential to illicit drug production. On a bilateral basis, Irish and US officials will this autumn sign a Customs Co operation Agreement, which will enhance our mutual efforts to stop the trafficking in drugs.

We have set up a joint US-EU Task Force on Communicable Diseases to build a global early warning and response network for such diseases in co operation with the World Health Organisation and other multilateral organisations. And we have intensified our dialogue on environmental issues, agreeing to meet in advance of upcoming international conferences, such as on climate change, biodiversity and chemicals, to develop co ordinated positions.

Contributing to the expansion of world trade and closer economic ties: Ireland's EU Presidency occurs during the Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The December Singapore WTO Ministerial gathering will review progress in meeting commitments members made when signing the WTO's agreement, but we are also interested in new agenda items of vital importance to the future of the world trading system, such as trade and labour standards.

We will work to achieve by February 15th, 1997, a successful conclusion of the WTO talks aimed at opening the global communications market. We also hope to finalise with key trading partners an Informal ion Technology Agreement which will eliminate tariffs on computers, telecommunications equipment, and other information technology products.

It is incredible to think that one in three personal computers used within the European Union is produced in Ireland and that, since 1980, 40 per cent of all US investment in electronics in Europe has been in Ireland. Thus, Ireland has a great stake in a successful agreement.

THE US and EU are working on ways to reduce or eliminate transatlantic barriers. Working with our business communities, we are listening to the Transatlantic Business Dialogue, which reflects business priorities in our trade and economic agenda. The Taoiseach has stressed that one of Ireland's top priorities during its EU presidency and beyond is to achieve progress in an EU strategy to fight unemployment, especially long term unemployment.

In May, EU Commissioner Padraig Flynn and US Secretary of Labour Robert Reich launched a US EU Working Group on Labour and Employment Issues. They will focus on healthcare and pension portability as well as the jobs component of economic growth. We also support the efforts of our trade union leaders to initiate a dialogue on these concerns.

Building bridges across the Atlantic by encouraging closer communications between our business people, scientists, educators and others: as experience has shown the people of this island, "building bridges" between peoples is of utmost importance in creating a partnership to achieve peace and prosperity.

In December, the United States and European Union signed the Agreement on Higher Education and Vocational Training, and we have now selected consortia projects involving more than 60 institutions on both sides of the Atlantic.

We are now planning a transatlantic conference in the autumn to promote enhanced exchange of students, professionals and other citizens of our countries. This will reinforce the continuing dialogues among our businesspeople, trade union leaders and parliamentarians.

We hope to begin work on a comprehensive science and technology co operation agreement this year and we have renewed the mandate for the US EU Biotechnology Task Force, to ensure a continued exchange in this sector.

ONE of the greatest "bridge builders" of our times was the late US Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown. He was a special friend of Ireland, a partner in the cause of peace. EU and US officials will keep the Ron Brown legacy alive by instituting a series of annual high level lectures dedicated to his memory. It is my sincere hope that we can launch that lecture series here during the Irish EU Presidency.

When President Clinton welcomed President Robinson to America, he said the United States and Ireland are bound together by a common "determination to see peace take root and freedom prevail all around the world."

As a partner in the search for peace, a partner in the fight against illicit drugs, a partner in making the world trading system operate effectively, the United States stands firmly beside Ireland as it embarks upon what we are certain will be a successful EU presidency.