Joe Biden visit to Belfast will 'emphasise US commitment to peace'

US President Joe Biden has said he will emphasise his country's "commitment to preserving peace" in Northern Ireland when he visits Belfast this evening.

He will arrive in the city to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement.

The 1998 deal brought an end to the Troubles - the decades-long violent conflict in Northern Ireland in which thousands of people were killed.

Mr Biden said he was looking forward to commemorating the anniversary.

"Twenty-five years ago, Northern Ireland's leaders chose peace," he wrote on Twitter.

"The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement ended decades of violence and brought stability.

"I look forward to marking the anniversary in Belfast, underscoring the US commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity."

A White House spokesman said President Biden had been very excited about visiting the island of Ireland for quite some time.

While Mr Biden will praise what politicians did in 1998, his visit is overshadowed by the fact that Northern Ireland's power-sharing government in not functioning.

It collapsed last year when the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - one of the biggest parties at Stormont - pulled out as part of a protest against post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.

A major security operation is in place in Belfast city centre ahead of Mr Biden's visit.

When he arrives in Northern Ireland the president will be greeted by the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with a brief opportunity to meet Stormont politicians.

A White House spokesperson said that the president was "very much looking forward to going to Belfast" and, despite recent security concerns, "is more than comfortable making this trip".

"President Biden cares deeply about Northern Ireland and has a long history of supporting peace and prosperity there," said John Kirby.

His visit to Northern Ireland is much shorter than was originally expected.

He will leave Belfast on Wednesday to attend events in counties Louth and Mayo and in Dublin.

He will end his visit to the Republic of Ireland on Friday.

It is understood that when Mr Biden speaks at Ulster University he will underscore the readiness of the United States to preserve what he sees as the gains of the Good Friday Agreement.

The president is also expected to talk about how the US administration can support Northern Ireland's economy.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, former Prime Minister Tony Blair said the visit was significant but that American influence on the Northern Ireland political process had to be used with "care and sensitivity".

"There's a difference between influencing and pressurising and the one tends to be positive and the other can be negative," Mr Blair said.

"One thing I learned about the unionists is if you try to pressurise them to do something they are fundamentally in disagreement with it's usually futile pressure, even if it comes from the US, so you just have to use that influence carefully.

"I had a very close relationship with President Clinton outside of the peace process but I found him immensely helpful.

"He would immediately understand strategically what was important and what wasn't."

The police say that no vehicles can access James Street, Franklin Street, Bedford Street and Clarence Street West until Wednesday afternoon.

Public transport provider Translink says passengers are advised to expect some service disruption, diversions and delays in Belfast city centre and they advise passengers leave extra time for their journeys.

They have also warned travellers to allow extra time when going to or from Belfast International Airport ahead of today's visit.

In the Republic, gardaí (Irish police) have said Mr Biden will arrive at and depart Dublin Airport at various times over the course of his visit.

They advised travellers to allow additional time for arrival at the airport "due to possible rolling road closures, particularly late Wednesday and early Friday".