ETA ends armed struggle for a Basque state after 43 years

Basque militant group ETA last night brought a halt to its 43-year armed campaign for independence and called on Spain and France to open talks.

The outfit declared a ceasefire in January, but up to now had not renounced armed struggle to achieve an independent Basque state – a key demand from the Spanish government.

“ETA has decided the definitive cease of its armed activity,” the group said. “ETA calls upon the Spanish and French governments to open a process of a direct dialogue with the aim of addressing the resolution of the consequences of the conflict.”

The statement – made to Basque daily Gara and on an online video – made no mention of what it intended to do with its weapons, or if it was dissolving as a group.

On the video, three masked ETA members sat behind a table to read the statement in the video and raised their fists at the end of the statement.

The group has come under pressure from its own political arm and former members, now in prison, to disband.

The three did not say whether the guerrilla force would turn in its weapons, which Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero insists is a condition for any negotiations with ETA.

Mr Zapatero said: “This has been possible thanks to the mettle and strength of Spanish society, guided by the rule of law, which triumphs today as the only possible way for people to coexist.

“Our democracy will be one without terrorism, but not one without memory.”

ETA has killed 829 people in bombings and shootings since the late 1960s. It is classified as a terrorist organisation by Spain, the European Union and the United States.

Some kind of announcement from ETA has been expected as part of what seemed to be a carefully choreographed process, which when its political supporters renounced violence, and ETA called the ceasefire.

However, its statement makes no mention of dissolving outright and unconditionally as the government has demanded, and asserted what it says is the right of the Basque people to decide their own future – the status quo as part of Spain or independence.

ETA’s announcement came three days after several international figures, including former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, attended a conference on ETA in the Basque city of San Sebastian and called on the group to end the violence.

Mr Adams welcomed ETA’s statement.

He said: “We called upon ETA to make a public declaration of the definitive cessation of all armed action and to request talks with the governments of Spain and France to address exclusively the consequences of the conflict.

“I believe their statement meets that requirement, and I would urge the governments of Spain and France to welcome it.”

The Socialist government in Spain is deeply unpopular and is expected to lose a general election on 20 November, due to voter anger over a sluggish economy and a sky-high unemployment.

Even if Mr Zapatero’s government can claim victory in the decades-long effort to bring an end to ETA, analysts have said it will be difficult for the Socialists to make any political gains, because voters are more concerned about jobs.

ETA has not killed anyone since March 2010, when a French police officer was killed by members of the group leaving the scene of a robbery.