Spanish government rejects ETA talks offer

The Spanish government has rejected a new proposal from Basque militants for dialogue to end the region’s long-running conflict, saying today it lacked an explicit renunciation of violence.

At a rally in San Sebastian yesterday, former members of the banned party Batasuna – the political wing of the terror group ETA – unveiled a seven-point plan for a new peace process before a crowd of 15,000 people chanting slogans in support of ETA.