Spain: Talk of Basque truce 'just speculation'

Spain’s interior minister today dismissed as speculation a newspaper report that the armed Basque separatist group Eta will declare a truce in the next three months.

Jose Antonio Alonso was the first government official to speak publicly about a report yesterday in the newspaper El Mundo that the government has had indirect contact with Eta with the goal of persuading its to issue a cease-fire. The report quoted sources close to the Spanish intelligence services.

Eta has not staged a deadly attack since May 2003, although it has committed dozens of minor bombings, and the government says it has been severely weakened by arrests, prompting speculation that Eta might be on its last legs and prepared to call a truce.

“We do not work on the basis of speculation,” Alonso said in a radio interview. “A responsible government like this one works on the basis of deeds. When there are facts on the table, we will see.”

Alonso said Eta remained active even though it has not killed anyone in more than two years.