ETA has declared, through the newspapers Gara and Berria, a permanent halt to armed conflict and has appealed to the Spanish and French to \u00abopen a direct dialogue\u00bb to resolve \u00abthe consequences of conflict\u00bb.<\/p>\n
The band, which in the statement calls itself thes \u00abBasque revolutionary socialist organization for national liberation\u00bb, said that the International Peace Conference held in the Basque Country this week had been \u00aban initiative of great political significance\u00bb and the statement agreed at the meeting \u00bb put together the ingredients for a comprehensive solution to the conflict and has the support of broad sectors of Basque society and the international community. \u00ab<\/p>\n
\u00abIn Euskal Herria is opening a new political period. We have been given a historic opportunity to offer a just and democratic solution to the secular political conflict \u00bb the statement read, and \u00abinstead of the former violence and repression, dialogue and agreement should characterize the new cycle\u00bb.<\/p>\n
The statement when on to say that \u00abit is time to look ahead with hope and to act with responsibility and courage.\u00bb To this end ETA had decided to call for a \u00abpermanent halt to armed activity,\u00bb and call on the Governments of Spain and France to open \u00aba direct dialogue process aimed at resolving the consequences of the conflict and overcoming the armed confrontation\u00bb
\nPolitical reaction to the ETA permanent ceasefire<\/b><\/p>\n
A sombre and weary-looking Jos\u00e9 Luis Zapatero gave a press conference shortly after ETA’s announcement in which he expressed his satisfaction, and said Spain would now have a democracy without violence, but not without memory (referring to the victims of terrorist attacks). He stressed the role of the police, detectives and civil guards and also acknowledged the support of the French Government in the fight against ETA. Mariano Rajoy, leader of the opposition PP party and according to all political surveys, clear winner in the Spanish elections next month, said it was good news for Spain and a credit to Spanish civil society. He also underlined the fact that the announcement had come without any policital concessions having been made to the terrorists.
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Video of ETA’s ceasefire statement
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