SPAIN: A weekend offer of peace talks from the banned Basque separatist party Batasuna disappointed hopes that the terrorist organisation ETA would announce a truce, but indicated that the group's political wing could be trying to wrest the initiative from its gunmen.
While Madrid newspapers ridiculed Batasuna's offer of talks, commentators in the Basque region saw the party as trying to coax a weakened ETA to the negotiating table.
Batasuna leader Arnaldo Otegi proposed talks on Sunday between France, Spain and ETA to demilitarise the 36 year-old conflict and a referendum in the Basque country on its future. The media had widely speculated he would announce an ETA truce.
"To propose that the governments of Madrid and Paris negotiate with a terrorist group to 'demilitarise the conflict' and release prisoners is pure madness, particularly considering the setbacks suffered by ETA," El Mundo said in an editorial.
Branded a terrorist group by the European Union, ETA has killed 850 people since 1968 in a campaign for a Basque state in northern Spain and south-west France.
Batasuna shares ETA's aims but denies being its political wing. It was banned last year for not condemning ETA killings.
Reeling from a police crackdown, ETA has not killed in over a year although the bombing of a military post on Saturday was a reminder of its threat. Police have arrested more than 100 ETA suspects in 2004, including its alleged leader, Mikel Antza.
Amid rumours of a rift in ETA, the guerrilla group said it was open to negotiations in October.
"This is the first time an initiative comes from the political wing (of Basque separatism). ETA's role is no longer at the political and military vanguard," said a senior Basque politician, who asked not to be identified.
"They are clearly trying to imitate Sinn Féin," he said, suggesting ETA could declare a truce next year.