Certification for the new Police Service of Northern Ireland

On December 7, 2001, President Bush approved documents of certification to lift congressional restrictions on federal law enforcement training for the recently established Police Service of Northern Ireland. The Police Service of Northern Ireland offers a new beginning to law enforcement in Northern Ireland -- substantiated this week by the positive report of the Oversight Commission for Policing Reform. The establishment of the Police Service of Northern Ireland marks a significant milestone in the Northern Ireland peace process and provides additional tangible evidence that the Good Friday Agreement is delivering a lasting peace to the citizens of Northern Ireland. We are pleased that cooperation and training with U.S. law enforcement entities, including the FBI, will contribute to that process and to the prospects of peace.