Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams today defended plans to meet Cuban President Fidel Castro during his four day visit to the country.
En route to the Cuban capital Havana today, the West Belfast MP said that while some of Sinn Fein's opponents would try to exploit unease in the United States about his visit, he was fulfilling a long standing engagement to unveil a memorial to the IRA and INLA hunger strikers who died in 1981.
He also wanted to acknowledge President Castro's support for the hunger strike.
"This is the 20th anniversary of the hunger strike and there has been a year of commemoration, debate and discussion in Ireland and around the world," Mr Adams said.
"Internationally, memorials were unveiled by me in South Africa and by Martin McGuinness in Australia. We will be unveiling a memorial to the hunger strikers in Havana which will be a fitting end to that commemorative year.
"At the time of the hunger strikes, President Castro spoke out in support of the Irish struggle and commended the courage of the men in the H-Blocks and the women in Armagh Jail."
Mr Adams is visiting Havana five months after the party's representative in the country, Mr Niall Connolly, was among three Irish republicans arrested by the authorities in Colombia for allegedly training left-wing FARC rebels.
Mr Adams is due to unveil the memorial to the hunger strikers which was commissioned and funded by republicans in the centre of Havana on Tuesday.
He is also due to lay a wreath to the 19th century Cuban rebel Jose Marti tomorrow and will be meeting key government officials before holding talks with President Castro later this week.
He will also pay a fact-finding visit to a hospital.
With some Irish Americans expressing unease about the trip and his talks with President Castro - a long time enemy of the US - Mr Adams said he believed supporters of Sinn Fein in America would understand his reasons for going.
"Having been in America as recently as November, there will be some people clearly who support the peace process, who support Sinn Fein, who support the Irish cause who will not agree with me going to Cuba but I think they will accept and understand it.
"Others who do not support us, who do not support the peace process, who are anti-Sinn Fein will seize on the visit, will try to grab headlines and whip up media controversy. That is for them. It is their right. It is their entitlement. However, I have a public commitment to go to Cuba and to unveil this memorial."
Mr Adams said there was much for Irish republicans to learn from the Cubans. He commended the Cubans' work to overcome illiteracy and improve their health services.
He also noted the Government, the main political parties in Dublin and the European Union opposed the trade blockade of the country by the United States.
"The Cubans have reduced illiteracy almost to nil. They have arguably the best health service in the world, sending doctors and nurses around the globe - treating people from Chernobyl and other places which have fallen victim to nuclear fall out.
"The fact that people struggle despite all the difficulties, all the impoverished conditions and despite the hostility of the US Government can survive and help others, is a big lesson to everybody."
PA