ETA and Zapatero

Today at Berria English:

ETA calls on Zapatero to make “strong, daring gestures”

They have asked him to act “sensibly” to restore “peace based on rights through dialogue”

Editorial Staff

A statement sent by “Euskadi Ta Askatasuna” ( ETA) to BERRIA reflects on the results of the Spanish Parliamentary elections. It is addressed to Jose Luis Rodriguez-Zapatero, the PSOE General Secretary, and Spanish President-elect, and calls on him to make “gestures” towards the Basque Country. The statement reveals a number of reflections by ETA to solve the conflict of the Basque Country. It also makes a reference to two decisions it has taken in recent months. It expresses its view on the deaths of Angel Berrueta and Kontxi Sanchiz. Here follow some word-for-word extracts from the statement, dated March 16, 2004:

“First of all we should like to express our sorrow at the deaths of Anjel Berrueta, killed by a Spanish police officer in Iruñea on March 13th, and Kontxi Sanchiz, whose death on March 14th in Hernani was linked to the attack of the Autonomous Police Force of Spain (…)”.

“These two deaths, which occurred after the acts that took place in Madrid on March 11 and as a direct consequence of them, reveal to us the hypocritical attitude shown by political leaders and heads of political parties towards the deaths (…)”.

“We concluded in the statement we issued on the very day of the elections by saying ‘We trust that those who are going to govern Spain next will have more sense, so that through dialogue we can restore peace for the Basque Country based on rights’. And all we are doing right now is to reiterate this (…)”.

“The settling of the conflict that the Basque Country is enduring will be no easy task. There are many knots to be undone. Each agent has a deeply-rooted idea as to how the conflict could be resolved. Moreover, each one could think that its way is the most appropriate. ETA, too, has its own idea. (…)”.

“There is an international dimension in the conflict that is going on in the Basque Country. Even though its solution will come out of basic consensus among the agents of the Basque Country and France and Spain, it will be indispensable for such consensus to have the backing and guarantee of Europe and the international community. A people’s right to self-determination lies at the heart of the resolution of the conflict. (…)”.

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