Spanish government skeptical over ETA claim of cease-fire
Source: Agencies |
January 11, 2011, Tuesday
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THE militant Basque separatist group ETA declared a permanent cease-fire yesterday in what it called a firm step toward ending its bloody decades-long independence fight, but the Spanish government quickly demanded it disband outright.
Masked ETA members announced the cease-fire in a video sent to Spanish media, and ETA's statement also appeared on the website of the pro-independence newspaper Gara, which often serves as an ETA mouthpiece.
But the statement made no mention of ETA dissolving or giving up its weapons - key demands from successive Spanish governments, and the announcement follows what the group called a permanent cease-fire in 2006 that ended after only nine months.
Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said Spanish governments and mainstream Spanish political parties have maintained that all they want to hear from ETA is that it is disarming and giving up.
"It is evident that once again today, ETA has not done what we democratic parties expected," he said in a brief appearance before reporters.
Europe's last large violent political militant group declared a cease-fire in September, but gave no details about how long it would last. The statement issued yesterday specified that the group now supports a "permanent and general cease-fire which will be verifiable by the international community."
It added: "This is ETA's firm commitment toward a process to achieve a lasting resolution and toward an end to the armed confrontation."
ETA said it is open to dialogue and negotiation but it also reiterated key ETA positions, such as its belief that the Basque people have the right to decide whether to remain part of Spain or break away.
Rubalcaba said ETA had maintained a catalogue of demands and an arrogant tone. "In other words, ETA still wants a price to be paid for ending violence," he said.
ETA is considered a terrorist organization by Spain, the European Union and the United States. It has killed more than 825 people since the 1960s, but has been decimated by arrests and dwindling support.
ETA declared what it called a permanent cease-fire in 2006, but that truce lasted just nine months as talks with the government went nowhere. ETA resorted to violence in December 2006 with a car bombing that killed two people at Madrid's Barajas airport.
Masked ETA members announced the cease-fire in a video sent to Spanish media, and ETA's statement also appeared on the website of the pro-independence newspaper Gara, which often serves as an ETA mouthpiece.
But the statement made no mention of ETA dissolving or giving up its weapons - key demands from successive Spanish governments, and the announcement follows what the group called a permanent cease-fire in 2006 that ended after only nine months.
Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said Spanish governments and mainstream Spanish political parties have maintained that all they want to hear from ETA is that it is disarming and giving up.
"It is evident that once again today, ETA has not done what we democratic parties expected," he said in a brief appearance before reporters.
Europe's last large violent political militant group declared a cease-fire in September, but gave no details about how long it would last. The statement issued yesterday specified that the group now supports a "permanent and general cease-fire which will be verifiable by the international community."
It added: "This is ETA's firm commitment toward a process to achieve a lasting resolution and toward an end to the armed confrontation."
ETA said it is open to dialogue and negotiation but it also reiterated key ETA positions, such as its belief that the Basque people have the right to decide whether to remain part of Spain or break away.
Rubalcaba said ETA had maintained a catalogue of demands and an arrogant tone. "In other words, ETA still wants a price to be paid for ending violence," he said.
ETA is considered a terrorist organization by Spain, the European Union and the United States. It has killed more than 825 people since the 1960s, but has been decimated by arrests and dwindling support.
ETA declared what it called a permanent cease-fire in 2006, but that truce lasted just nine months as talks with the government went nowhere. ETA resorted to violence in December 2006 with a car bombing that killed two people at Madrid's Barajas airport.
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