ETA warns new government

Basque separatist group ETA indicated today it will press ahead with its goal of an independent country separate from Spain either by dialogue with the incoming Socialist government or renewed attacks.

The newspaper Gara, which ETA customarily chooses to air its views, published a short statement from the group praising Prime Minister-elect Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s plan to withdraw Spanish peacekeeping troops from Iraq as a “brave and valiant gesture”.

That abrupt change of policy should be applied to the Basque autonomy issue, too, the statement said. “Brave and valiant gestures are needed for Euskal Herria (Basque country).”

It added that it was “possible to achieve peace by reason and good sense” but otherwise ETA intends to “keep fighting.”

Eta has been blamed for more than 800 deaths in its campaign to carve an independent Basque homeland from territory straddling northern Spain and south west France.

It was blamed initially by the outgoing government of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar for the March 11 train bombings in Madrid that killed 202 people and injured more than 1,400. Police now think al-Qaida was responsible.

Aznar’s Popular Party lost last week’s general election to the Socialists.