Irish Peace Process points the way for Basque conflict
Possible ETA ceasefire
In what is being seen as a major breakthrough in the Basque
conflict Herri Batasuna (HB), Basque Nationalist Party (PNV),
Eusko Alkartasuna (EA) and United Left (IU) - political parties
involved in what has become known as the Ireland Forum - together
with another 30 social organisations and trade unions, have
signed the Lizarra Agreement. The document, published last
Saturday, marks the way forward for a political resolution of the
Basque conflict. There are strong rumours that an ETA ceasefire
is imminent.
The possibility of an ETA ceaseafire has not yet been confirmed,
but there are strong indications that it could be a reality after
a three month period of inactivity and the publication of this
new document.
Last Tuesday, the Basque autonomous government called on ETA to
announce a cessation of all actions. The same day, EA presented a
motion in the Spanish Congress supporting Basque political
prisoners. Although it was defeated, the proposal was backed by
all the parties taking part in the Ireland Forum and by the
Catalan nationalist party, whose support is keeping the
right-wing Popular Party in the Spanish government.
The Lizarra Agreement, based on Ireland's peace process, proposes
an initial phase ``where dialogue and negotiation could be
facilitated through multi-party talks without pre-conditions'' and
a ``resolution phase'' in which ``once [a spirit of] compromise and
a will to approach the causes of conflict are clear, the
negotiation towards the resolution of the conflict should take
place during a permanent cessation of all expressions of
violence.''
The Lizarra Agreement opens with a six points analysis of the
factors that led to the Good Friday Agreement in Ireland and how
this model could be applied to the Basque situation. The document
highlights the attitude ``of the republican movement to build and
support the inclusion of all traditions on the island in the
resolution of the conflict''.
Since the Good Friday Agreement was reached, HB proposed the
creation of a social forum where representatives of Basque social
organisations and political parties could meet and exchange their
different perspectives while trying to find a political solution
for the country's conflict. This was called the Ireland Forum and
the new document is a direct consequence of it.
All political parties but the right-wing Popular Party (PP) in
the Spanish government and the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE),
have welcomed the initiative. The Spanish Home minister, Mayor
Oreja, rejected the document as ``a betrayal'' and the possible ETA
ceasefire as ``a cheat''. The Spanish PM, Aznar, dismissed it as
``mockery''. Jose Borrell, PSOE's presidential candidate, attacked
the nationalist parties when he said that the Agreement ``is not a
way to peace, but the imposition of the nationalist project on
the whole of Basque society.'' Despise their comments, Herri
Batasuna reiterated the invitation to both groups to integrate in
the Forum and sign the Agreement.
The president of the Autonomous Basque Government, José Antonio
Ardanza, pointed out that the parties that support the agreement
have 47 seats in the Basque parliament, while PSOE and PP have
just 25 ``which indicates the real support for the document''. José
María Setien, bishop of San Sebastian, expressed his wish to
approach this initiative ``with hope thinking that the groups and
individuals can move towards peace''.
World briefs
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Berisha. His supporters, carrying the coffin, decided to walk
past government buildings to highlight their claims of government
involvement in the death and civil servants and ministers,
including Prime Minister Fastos Nano had to abandon the building
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The government has issued an ultimatum to former president, Sali
Berisha, to leave the country. Berisha was forced from office
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pyramid scheme which impoverished the already devastated Albanian
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The situation is a new cause for concern for the Albanian
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