President George Bush will make a surprise intervention in the Northern Ireland peace process next week after a summit on Iraq with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, at Hillsborough, Co Down, write Mark Brennock in Dublin, Conor O'Clery in New York, and Frank Millar in London
The leaders will hold detailed discussions on the war on Iraq on Monday and Tuesday.
However, they have set aside 2½ hours on Tuesday during which they, with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to discuss Northern Ireland and press the North's main pro-agreement parties to reach agreement on the re-establishment of the power-sharing political institutions.
Hillsborough was suggested by Mr Blair as the location for his meeting with President Bush. Anti-war campaigners claimed last night that the choice of venue was simply a public relations exercise to portray the leaders of the war on Iraq as peace-makers.
However, the Irish and British governments hope that engagement by President Bush at this crucial time in world politics will provide a spur to political agreement in the North in advance of Assembly elections scheduled for May 29th.
The announcement of Mr Bush's visit came from the White House spokesman, Mr Ari Fleischer, at a briefing in Washington yesterday. US Secretary of State Colin Powell will accompany the president.
At the summit Northern Ireland will take third place on the agenda. A substantial Bush-Blair discussion on Iraq will be first, then a meeting on the Middle East that Mr Ahern will join. At the end, Mr Bush, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern will meet the leaders of the pro-agreement parties in the North. "Mr Bush is doing Mr Blair a favour by showing he is committed to the peace process," the Republican congressman, Mr Peter King, said last night.
The talks will come just two days before the publication by the British and Irish governments of proposals designed to restore the North's power-sharing institutions through agreement on the future of the IRA, policing, demilitarisation, justice and other issues.
In a statement last night, the Government said the US "has played a vital role in advancing the peace process in recent years, and the engagement of the President at this time is a reflection of the continuing interest and commitment of the United States."
A Downing Street spokesman said the visit underlined that it was "an important week" in relation to Northern Ireland. While the visit will be seen as putting pressure on republicans to deliver the "acts of completion" required to break the current impasse, senior Ulster Unionists were concerned last night that it could lead to pressure on the two governments to accept a deal that was not sufficient for the UUP.
While a spokeswoman for the Taoiseach said he would raise the humanitarian situation in Iraq and the need for a UN-led relief effort, the Irish Anti-War Movement said last night it would send busloads of protesters to Hillsborough for the meeting. It promised President Bush "a welcome he won't forget".
The Green Party chairman, Mr John Gormley, called on all politicians "who claim to be opposed to the war not to meet with Bush". The Socialist TD, Mr Joe Higgins, said he would also protest. The Democratic Unionist Party is considering protesting at the fact that Mr Bush will not be meeting any of its members.