Basque ceasefire announcement welcomed

Catalan MEP Oriol Junqueras from the European Free Alliance Group in the European Parliament has welcomed today's ETA announcement of a 'permanent and general ceasefire'.

Junqueras is also a member of the Basque Friendship Group in the European Parliament - a grouping of MEPs set up in 2005 to support a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Commenting on the announcement, Oriol Junqueras said:

"It would be a great pity were the Spanish Government to miss this chance for peace. Instead of dismissing ETA’s permanent and verifiable ceasefire, the Spanish Government should work hard on it to build a true peace.

"Experience in resolution of international conflicts shows us that states have a major role to play and, in that respect, the Spanish Government should bring ETA prisoners to the Basque Country.

"The Spanish Government should also recognise the right of the left-wing independentist Basque parties to run in the elections. It would have been unimaginable, for example, were the British Government to have banned political parties active in the north of Ireland during the peace process there."