Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams will today leave for a three-day trip to Spain in a bid to support the Basque region peace process.
The West Belfast MP, whose party is believed to have played a key behind-the-scenes role in achieving the cease-fire announced by the Basque separatist group Eta in March, will travel to Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams
He will hold talks with political and business leaders. His Bilbao visit will be hosted by the Basque party Batasuna, which has links to Eta.
The visit will also coincide with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's expected bid to secure approval in the Spanish parliament for talks with Eta.
"There is a growing demand for multiparty talks to begin between all political parties in the Basque country and for the unbanning of Batasuna," Mr Adams said.
"The purpose of my brief visit . . . is to meet and listen to a broad range of political and civic opinions and where possible to reflect on Sinn Féin's experience and on the lessons of the Irish peace process."
In March, Eta said its objective was now to promote a democratic process in the Basque country. It urged the French and Spanish governments to enter peace process negotiations with it.
Spanish newspapers have reported that Belfast-based Catholic priest Father Alex Reid, who last year was one of two clergymen who witnessed the completion of the IRA's disarmament program, was involved in trying to secure Eta's ceasefire.