(15 Mar 2006)
1. Wide shot Adams press briefing at St. John's University in Queens, New York City
2. Medium shot Adams at podium
3. Cutaway reporter
4. SOUNDBITE: (English): Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein
"I'm surprised and bewildered as to the rationale and the purpose, I just don't understand it."
5. Cutaway photographer at press briefing
6. SOUNDBITE: (English): Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein
"The fundraising isn't really the issue. Friends of Sinn Fein here can still fundraise, so that isn't the issue. The issue is that the Administration has chosen to treat Sinn Fein differently from it treats the other parties. And you know the peace process is based upon equality and based upon inclusivity and I find it quite remarkable given the huge advances that have been made Irish republicans in Ireland last year or the IRA putting its weapons beyond use, ending its armed campaign and so on, I just find it quite remarkable and disappointing that the Administration would have taken up this position."
7. Mid shot Adams walks onto stage in auditorium at University where he is to deliver a talk
8. Wide shot pan audience applauds
9. Close up, tilt up, Irish and American flags side-by-side
10. Wide shot Adams at podium speaking
11. Mid shot Adams at podium speaking
12. Cutaway audience listening
13. Wide shot auditorium from back looking towards stage
STORYLINE:
Northern Irish political leader Gerry Adams started his US visit on Tuesday with a press briefing and speech at St. John's University in New York City.
After his address Adams was scheduled to address Sinn Fein supporters at an Irish pub in Yonkers, New York. He, like other Northern Ireland leaders, has been invited to the White House for a St. Patrick's Day luncheon Friday.
Last year, the Bush administration reimposed a ban on Sinn Fein fundraising and barred all Northern Ireland party leaders from the White House event.
The latter move was intended principally to isolate Sinn Fein, which relies much more heavily than other Northern Ireland parties on support from Irish-American supporters.
The Bush moves followed a verdict by an international fact-finding panel that blamed the Irish Republican Army for killing a Catholic civilian in January 2005 and robbing a Belfast bank of 26.5 (m) million British pounds (50 (m) million US dollars) in December 2004.
There has been speculation that the U.S. administration may lift the Sinn Fein fundraising ban in reward for the IRA's most recent peacemaking moves - its decision in July to make its 1997 cease-fire permanent, followed in September by its handover of weapons stockpiles to disarmament chiefs.
But while Adams said organisations like Friends of Sinn Fein are able now to fundraise in the US, Adams said he himself has been banned from attending any such fundraising events.
Adams said he was "bewildered" the administration has taken this stand.
A Sinn Fein colleague of Adams at the press briefing given before his speech said that a fundraising event in Washington DC planned for this visit has been cancelled because of the ban. He said the money raised has been returned to the attendees, and that Adams will still meet with the group while in Washington.
The key aim of Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord, a joint Catholic-Protestant administration, has remained in political limbo since 2002, when the previous coalition collapsed over an IRA spying scandal.
Leaders of the major Protestant party, the Democratic Unionists, say they will not share power with Sinn Fein until the IRA disbands.
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