MADRID - United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday met with leaders in Spain before its parliament was to vote on contributing Spanish soldiers to an expanded UN peace mission in Lebanon.

Annan was scheduled to hold talks with King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to discuss details of Spain's contribution to the force. Before the talks, Annan met Thursday morning with former prime minister Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez.

The Spanish parliament was expected on Thursday afternoon to approve sending up to 1,100 troops to Lebanon.

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Annan arrived Wednesday night for talks following a tour of the Middle East, Africa and Turkey. He is expected to discuss Lebanon as well as Iran's nuclear standoff with the West.

He is also scheduled to meet with former Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez, who recently visited Iran and discussed the standoff with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

A UN force is preparing to expand from 2,000 to 15,000 troops and deploy throughout the south with an equal number of Lebanese soldiers as Israeli forces withdraw as part of a shaky cease-fire that took effect on August 14.