Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams is travelling to Washington today for three days of political briefings with senior politicians.
During his visit he will meet Mr Richard Haass, US President George W. Bush's special ambassador to Northern Ireland.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Adams said his primary focus would be on the need to reinstate the Northern Ireland institutions as soon as possible.
Yesterday, an anti-Agreement Ulster Unionist MP claimed the US administration was gearing up for a deal in February which will allow Sinn Féin back into government.
Mr David Burnside was speaking following a meeting with Mr Haass in Washington.
He claimed the deal would involve republican commitments to the standing down of the IRA, but insisted promises of disarmament would not be enough to persuade unionists to return to the power-sharing administration with Sinn Féin.
