Basque separatist party pledges to reject violence if given legal status

THE outlawed political wing of Basque separatist group ETA said yesterday it would reject violence in its drive to be legalised, but the government said it must go further to be able to participate in elections.

The statement was the latest sign of increased pressure by the Batasuna party on ETA to lay down its arms, feeding speculation that the separatist group could be close to abandoning its 40-year campaign of violence.

The reformed Batasuna party will have “a democratic organisation and a public commitment to exclusively pacific means,” the party said through Basque newspaper Gara, which often publishes ETA and Batasuna messages.