Sinn Féin is to meet the SDLP at Stormont this afternoon to discuss an election pact.
The meeting is Sinn Féin's idea and party chairperman Mr Mitchel McLaughlin said the purpose of it is to discuss Sinn Féin propositions regarding electoral co-ordination.
Mr McLaughlin said Sinn Féin wrote to the SDLP "in an effort to address sincere calls from sections of nationalism that Sinn Féin and the SDLP should consider running single candidates in some constituencies to maximise representation."
An unofficial pact between the Ulster Unionist Party and the DUP has been in operation for decades and has led to unionists holding 13 and nationalists just five of the North's Westminister seats.
But there is already some acrimony between Sinn Féin and the SDLP and the meeting is unlikely to produce the results.
In a statement issued today Mr McLaughlin said he made the initial approach in a letter to SDLP chairman Mr Alex Attwood. He said when there was no response to the letter, and after Ms Bríd Rodgers announced her intention to enter the West Tyrone contest, this was seen by Sinn Féin as a rejection of the proposal.
The SDLP has accused Sinn Féin of engaging in a "cynical ploy" to capture media attention. Mr Atwood was quoted in today's Irish Timesas saying: "Sinn Féin is as interested in an election pact as Ian Paisley is in becoming a Catholic."
Mr McLaughlin has insisted the approach is genuine and wants to use today's meeting to put it to the SDLP a pact could realistically mean republicans/nationalists could take 11 out 18 seats in Westminister.
He said there were six constituencies which if targeted in a co-ordinated fashion could become republican/nationalists seats.