Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams leaves for the Middle East today "to share experiences" with those working for peace there and to advocate an alternative to war, he said yesterday.
Speaking at his Falls Road headquarters in Belfast he outlined his party's "internationalist" credentials, and argued that what he called the broad principles of the peace process in Ireland also applied in the Middle East.
Explaining the reason for the trip, Mr Adams said: "First of all we want to learn. Sensible people everywhere are concerned about what is happening there. Sinn Féin has been involved in a limited way, but insofar as we can, in peace processes in the Basque country, in Sri Lanka. We are keen to share our experiences with others."
He admitted he did not have "any magic formula or panacea for any conflict situation" but he stressed "the broad principles which apply here after years of conflict - recognition of democratic mandates, dialogue as a means [ to go] forward, governments playing a full part - we think some of those certainly could be applied in the Middle East. We'll see how we get on." He said there had been a longstanding invitation extended to him by the late president Yasser Arafat to go to the Middle East.
"For various reasons, sometimes emergency situations here, sometimes emergencies in that process, for various reasons we weren't able to take it up," he said.
"When president Arafat died I felt quite sore about it and I said 'We are now going to go'. It has taken from then until now to go." He said Sinn Féin had worked with the Israeli embassy in putting the trip together. Diplomats "have wished us well in terms of our endeavours." But he added: "I understand members of the Israeli government will not meet with us, they have a position which I think is the wrong position."
Responding to reporters' questions he said he did not think his movements would be restricted by Israeli authorities because of the conflict.