US Urges North Irish Unionists, Republicans to Revive Joint Local Rule

The two largest political parties in Northern Ireland - the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein - need to settle their differences to restore their shared local government of the long-troubled United Kingdom province, the US Department of State said in a statement.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — "We urge the region’s two largest parties, the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein, to continue their discussions with the aim of forming an effective, responsive, and representative government as soon as possible," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said on Wednesday.

Nauert noted the Trump administration regretted that the political parties in Northern Ireland have not yet reached an agreement to establish a power-sharing regional government following the elections in March.

"All of Northern Ireland’s political leaders share a collective responsibility to build on the political and economic progress made since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and to construct a better, shared future for all of Northern Ireland’s citizens," she said.

The United States will continue to work with all parties in Northern Ireland as well as the UK and Irish governments to help facilitate the restoration of Northern Ireland’s regional government, the statement added.