Eta says peace process in crisis

The armed Basque separatist group Eta today said that the Spanish peace process launched with its cease-fire declaration five months ago is now in crisis.

It accused Spanish politicians of delaying steps toward a settlement of the conflict.

Eta levelled its charges in a statement sent to the Basque newspaper Gara.

It made a vague warning to “respond” if the Spanish government continued what Eta called repression of Basque pro-independence militants.

Eta also repeated a charge that the Spanish government had agreed to a “cease-fire” of its own in talks leading up to the Eta truce, apparently agreeing to stop arresting Eta members.

But the government is not living up to this commitment, Eta claimed.

The Spanish government has repeatedly denied it made any promises with Eta to elicit the militants' ceasefire.