Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Azkarraga to Idaho: Eskerrik Asko

Today at Berria English:

Azkarraga thanks Idaho for its initiative in favour of self-determination

The Pete Cenarrusa Center to promote Basque culture and identity was presented in Boise

Ainara Mendiola, Special Correspondent, Boise (Idaho)
Joseba Azkarraga, the Minister for Justice, of the Basque Government, thanked the people of Idaho the day before yesterday for their initiative in favour of the self-determination of the Basque Country passed by their Legislature two years previously. “We know it caused a lot of anguish for you,” he said, in the presence of Dave Bieter and Pete Cenarrusa, the main promoters of the initiative. The Spanish Government put pressure on the White House for the initiative not to go ahead, but Bieter and Cenarrusa did not give in until they had achieved their objective. “Thank you for defending our country; we need ambassadors like you all over the world,” Azkarraga told them.

Azkarraga has come to the United States with a request and an offer; on the one hand, to ask the citizens of Basque origin living abroad to help spread the nature of the Basque people “as a modern, hard-working country, upholder of human rights and promoter of solidarity” and not the distorted image projected by many of the media; and, on the other, to invite them to participate in the debate on Ibarretxe’s Plan.


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