BOISE (AP) - Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and leaders from Spain's Basque region are discussing deepening ties amid a celebration of Basque culture now under way in the capital.

The Jaialdi festival is held every five years in Boise and is expected to draw 35,000 visitors over six days for sporting events, music, dancing and food.

Otter and Basque President Francisco Javier "Patxi" Lopez Alvarez said they're working on a sister-state pact - as well as more practical opportunities to boost economic links and promote jobs.

Jose Luis Bilbao, the governor general of Spain's Bizkaia province, was also a part of the discussions last week.

A majority of Basques who came to Idaho at the turn of the 20th century, many of whom took jobs as sheepherders in the state's burgeoning livestock industry, claim roots in Bizkaia.