Image copyright Zach Gibson

The US House of Representatives has approved a resolution reaffirming support for the Good Friday Agreement, urging that it be adhered to during upcoming Brexit negotiations.

The legislation was passed on Tuesday night by unanimous voice vote.

It urges the UK and EU to ensure Brexit does not threaten peace in Northern Ireland and opposes any hard border.

It also insists that any UK-US trade agreement must meet the obligations of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Good Friday Agreement is the deal, signed in 1998, that is widely seen as marking the effective end of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

'US played important role'

It established a devolved power sharing administration and created new institutions for cross-border cooperation as well as structures for improved relations between the British and Irish governments.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has repeatedly asserted that the UK and Ireland must honour the Good Friday Agreement and a commitment not to have a hard border.

The US legislation was co-sponsored in the House of Representatives by Democratic Congressman Thomas Suozzi and Republican Congressman Peter King.

"The United States played an important role in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, a momentous achievement that has been largely responsible for the relative peace over the last two decades," said Congressman Suozzi.

Congressman King added that it was "imperative that the United States do all that it can to not only support the Good Friday Agreement but prevent any return of a hard border".