New ETA communication: would accept informal verification of the cease fire if that helps to overcome Spanish veto to talks

The Basque guerrilla ETA has issued a new communication, the first one since the declaration of permanent unilateral cease-fire in January (pictured left).

Most noticeable is, following Gara, that ETA declares to be ready to accept an informal verification of the cease-fire by international actors, instead of a formal one, as proposed previously. Allegedly this was one of the obstacles put by Madrid in order to initiate the peace process. 

In another, more reflexive part of the communication, ETA divides Basque society between those supporting freedom and those blockading it, trying to keep the terms imposed by Spain. They think that the first bloc is clearly growing but that there is still a long way to go and hence there must be continuity in the process of adding up efforts. 

They say that the French and Spanish governments are being irresponsible. They argue that keeping the repression high is not compatible with claiming the will to find a solution. This irresponsibility has even caused cracks inside the political parties supporting the Spanish status quo, they say (probably in reference to PSE President J. Egiguren and also conservative politician F. Herrero de Miñón, who, among others, have cheered for a resolute commitment from Madrid with the peace process and not throwing away this opportunity, surely condemning us all to another many years of war). ETA makes also an appeal to them so they act with the courage and resolution this moment requires.

See also:

• Full ETA communication in Basque (Gara)
• Google translation to something similar to English. 
• Al Jazeera (English)
• In this blog (for background info):
• category: ETA
• category: Basque politics