The Sinn Fein leader, Mr Gerry Adams, urged the Spanish government yesterday "to learn the lessons" of the Northern Ireland peace process and engage in talks with Basque separatists.
Mr Adams welcomed the open-ended truce declared by ETA and urged the government not to ignore the peace initiative launched by ETA's political wing, Herri Batasuna.
"Don't prevaricate, don't create obstacles, don't delay. The emphasis should now be on building confidence and trust and getting negotiations under way speedily," he said in a statement.