Irish priest helped broker ETA ceasefire

A BELFAST priest who witnessed the IRA decommissioning helped broker the permanent ceasefire with Basque separatist group ETA.

Speaking from Bilbao, Fr Alec Reid said ETA’s decision had been influenced by the success of peace efforts in the North.

In 2003, Fr Reid was first called on by Basque nationalists to negotiate a ceasefire between the Spanish government and the separatist group.

He had been at the heart of talks during the IRA’s ceasefire that led to the Good Friday Agreement.

Fr Reid said he was sure ETA’s ceasefire would last.

“I have no doubt that it’s permanent, I have no doubt that it’s the beginning of a new era here. I have no doubt that they will succeed in getting a settlement,” he said.

He paid tribute to the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s role in the negotiations.

“Mr Zapatero and his government deserve great credit because among the Spanish people it’s not very popular to talk to nationalists really because Spanish people are terrified that Spain is going to break up so Mr Zapatero has taken real risks in doing this and he deserves credit,” he said.

“My information is that ETA has been completely united leading into this. This is the end of the physical force tradition in Basque politics, it’s like what happened with the IRA last year with decommissioning ...

“I’m sure that they will set up a peace which will not only be politically peaceful but they’ll go for a society that will be socially just as well.”