Basque separatists ETA say end armed struggle
- 13 years ago
The Basque separatist group ETA says it was ending decades of armed struggle.
In an online video, unidentified members of the group called for talks - with Spanish and French authorities - aimed at ending Europe's last major guerrilla conflict
But, the three masked ETA members did not say whether they would they give up their arms - a pre-condition for negotiations with the Spanish government.
The Spanish government welcomed Thursday's statement - but it was not clear whether Madrid would engage in talks.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
SOUNDBITE: Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero
"Ours, will be a democracy without terrorism but not a democracy without memory. The memory of each and every one of the 829 (ETA) victims and their families and so many people injured who suffered the unfair and horrendous hit of the terror will always be with us. It will always be with the future generations of Spaniards."
The statement marks a significant shift for ETA - whose goal was to carve out and independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southern France.
The group was formed in the 1950s during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco - who suppressed the Basque language and culture.
In recent years, ETA has been weakened by the arrests of hundreds of its members - and internal pressure to disband.
Sarah Irwin, Reuters.
In an online video, unidentified members of the group called for talks - with Spanish and French authorities - aimed at ending Europe's last major guerrilla conflict
But, the three masked ETA members did not say whether they would they give up their arms - a pre-condition for negotiations with the Spanish government.
The Spanish government welcomed Thursday's statement - but it was not clear whether Madrid would engage in talks.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
SOUNDBITE: Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero
"Ours, will be a democracy without terrorism but not a democracy without memory. The memory of each and every one of the 829 (ETA) victims and their families and so many people injured who suffered the unfair and horrendous hit of the terror will always be with us. It will always be with the future generations of Spaniards."
The statement marks a significant shift for ETA - whose goal was to carve out and independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southern France.
The group was formed in the 1950s during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco - who suppressed the Basque language and culture.
In recent years, ETA has been weakened by the arrests of hundreds of its members - and internal pressure to disband.
Sarah Irwin, Reuters.