UNITED States House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Dublin today for her two-day visit to the Republic of Ireland.
Pelosi met with Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, who said she and her delegation were "strong and steadfast friends of Ireland".
But, speaking in Dublin, Brexit was on the cards as Pelosi warned the UK not to undermine the Good Friday Agreement when it exits the EU.
She said a quick trade agreement between the UK and the US post-Brexit was not on the cards if there was any harm done to the Belfast agreement.
READ MORE: The break from Brexit can be a chance to learn what the Irish backstop means
She said: "They want to leave the EU – that's the decision their country is making, has made – and as they work it out, not to think for one minute that there's any comfort for them in the fact that if they leave the EU that they would quickly have a US-UK trade agreement.
"That's just not on the cards, if there's any harm done to the Good Friday accords. Don't even think about that."
Also on the agenda during the meeting was Ireland's relationship with the States.
Coveney (pictured above) said: "I and my colleagues in government deeply appreciate US congressional support for peace on this island, and for the provisions and promise of the Good Friday Agreement.
"I know that we also share huge ambition for the future Ireland-US relationship, an ambition set out in the government's new Strategy For The US.
"I look forward to an exchange on Northern Ireland and north-south issues ahead of the delegation's visit there later this week, and on all aspects of Ireland-US relations, including the vibrant economic and trading relationship between our two countries; people-to-people links and immigration; foreign policy issues; and on how Ireland can play a constructive role in strengthening the EU-US relationship into the future."
Pelosi is due to meet Irish premier Leo Varadkar later at Government Buildings.
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