02 FS NOVEMBER 2008

The 30th of November 2005 eleven MEPsdecided to create the Friendship group

"Towards a peace process in the BasqueCountry". We took this decision after seeingthat there was a positive scenario of multi-

party dialogue going on in the BasqueCountry that could end in a peace process.The Members of the European Parliament

joining this Friendship did so with the inten-tion of supporting and taking an active part

in the process of conflict resolution in theBasque Country. It was and still it is our

hope that the conclusion of this conflict willcome about on the basis of a multilateral

political agreement which makes possiblethe scenario of peace and democracy that we

all wish for.

As a group we have met different actorsinvolved in the conflict, we have given our

opinion regarding different issues throughpress conferences and press releases. We

have directly taken part or witnessed impor-tant political events in the Basque Country.We have explained our opinion and we have

listened to many colleagues here in theEuropean Parliament. We can say with no

doubt that it has been a very active and posi-tive experience.

The Friendship, is made up of elevenMembers of the European Parliament. These

MEPs belong to the Friendship individually,not in representation of their parties, coun-

tries or European parliamentary groups.

The Friendship has no connection withEuropean institutions, neither does it repre-

sent any European institution. It has comeinto being in the European Parliament at the

initiative of MEPs, but is not a structurecreated by the European Parliament. It hasbeen created chiefly in order to work within

the European institutions.

What is theFriendship

“Towards a Peace process in the Basque

Country”

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 03www.basquefriendship.eu

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°1FRIENDSHIP TOWARDS A PEACE PROCESS IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY

Who is Who in the Friendship GroupFounding Manifesto of the Friendship Group

BASQUE COUNTRY

Basic Democratic AgreementBasque Country

Opinion pools

WORK IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Hearing 30th November 2005Friendship public presentation

Debate in Strassbourg 25th October 2006Egunkaria

STATEMENTS

WORK IN THE FIELD

Tatjana Zdanoka Speaks in the BDAVisits to Arnaldo Otegi:

Bairbre de Brun, Helmuth Markov

OTHER INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT PEACE IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY

FRIENDSHIP IN THE MEDIAS

InterviewBairbre de BrunHelmuth Markov

Gerard Onesta

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Who is who in the Friendship group

04 FS NOVEMBER 2008

WHO is WHO in the Friendship group

Bairbre de BrúnSinn FéinBorn on 10 January 1954,Dublin

• Head of InternationalDepartment, Sinn Féin (1994)• Sinn Féín negotiator (1997 -)• Member of North of IrelandAssembly (1998-2004)• Minister of Health, SocialServices and Public Safety,North of Ireland Assembly(1999-2000 ; 2000-2002)• Member of the EuropeanParliament

Jiri MastalkaKomunistická strana Cech aMoravyBorn on 3 January 1956, Suice

• Member of the executiveboard of the central committeeof KSCM (Communist Party ofBohemia and Moravia) (1995-1999)• Chairman of the KSCM towncommittee for Plzen City(1993-2003)• Member of Plzen CityCouncil (1994-1998). Memberof the Federal Assembly of theCzechoslovak Federal Republic(1990-1992)• Member of the Chamber ofDeputies of the Parliament ofthe Czech Republic (since1996)• Vice-Chairman of theCommittee for Social Policyand Health Care (2002-2004)• Observer at the EuropeanParliament (2003-2004)• Member of the Chamber ofDeputies' delegation to theCouncil of Europe (since 2002)• Member of the EuropeanParliament

Tatjana ZdanokaPolitisko organizaciju savieniba "Par cilveka tiesibam vienota Latvija"Born on 8 May 1950, RIGA

• Chairman, Lidztiesiba party(1996-2004)• Co-chairman, 'Par cilvekatiesibam vienota Latvija' politi-cal association (2000-2004).• Adviser to the Lidztiesibaparliamentary party in theLatvian Parliament (1993-1997). • Project leader, Human RightsCommittee, Latvia (1997-2004).• Member, Riga City Council(1989-1994)Member, Riga City Council(1997-1999)• Member, Supreme Soviet ofthe Republic of Latvia (1990-1993).• Co-chairman, Human RightsCommittee of Latvia, affiliatedto the International Federationfor Human Rights (FIDH) (1995-2004).• Member of the european par-liament

Erik MeijerSocialistische PartijBorn on 5 December 1944,Amsterdam

• Local government official,Rotterdam City Council (1980-1992)• Has held office at national levelin the PSP (Pacifist SocialistParty) (Vice-chairman, Chairmanof elected representatives' sec-tion, editor of party magazine)(1968-1991)• Member of executive and Vice-Chairman, GroenLinks (1992-1995)• Member of Socialist Party exe-cutive (since 1999)• Member of Amsterdam CityCouncil (1975-1978)• Member of the DelfshavenDistrict Council (1998-2002)• Member of the South HollandProvincial Council (1982-1995)• Member of the EuropeanParliament (since 1999)• Member of executive, SocialistYouth and Student Organisations(1961-1969)• Member of executive,Citizenship Foundation (1990-1993)

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 05

Helmuth MarkovDIE LINKEBorn on 5 June 1952, Leipzig

• PDS Regional Chairman,Brandenburg (1994-1996)• Member of BrandenburgRegional Assembly (1990-1999)• Member of the EuropeanParliament (since 1999)• Chairman of the Committeeon International Trade

Gérard OnestaLes Verts-Europe-EcologieBorn on 5 August 1960, Albi

• Member of the Greens' natio-nal council (1987-1999).Responsible forinstitutional affairs for theGreens• Greens' national spokesman(1994-1995)• Founder of the Federation ofYoung European Greens (1988)• Member of the EuropeanParliament (1991-1994 andsince 1999)• Vice-President of theEuropean Parliament (since1999)

Ian HudghtonScottish National PartyBorn on 19 September 1951,Forfar

• Housing Convenor, Angus • District Council (1986-1996)• Depute Leader, TaysideRegional Council (1994-1996)• Leader, Angus Council (1996-1998)• Member of the EuropeanParliament (since 1998)

Alyn SmithScottish National PartyBorn on 15 September 1973,Glasgow

• Scottish Parliament Advisor toRichard Lochhead MSP, ShadowScottish• Fisheries Minister 2002-2003.Scottish Parliament, ScottishNational• Party Group Justice Businessand Europe Advisor 2003-2004• Member of the european par-liament

Jill EvansPlaid Cymru - Party of WalesBorn on 8 May 1959, Rhondda(Wales)

• BA (Hons.) Welsh (1980);M.Phil. (1986)• Public affairs officer, NationalFederation of Women's Institutes,Wales (1989-1996)• Wales organiser, CHILD (1997-1999)• In Plaid Cymru (The Party ofWales): Chair (1994-1996); Vice-President (2003- )• Councillor (1992-1999)• Member of the EuropeanParliament (since 1999)• Vice-Chairwoman of theCommittee on Women's Rightsand Equal Opportunities (1999-2004)• Alternate Member, Committeeof the Regions (1994-1998)

Bart StaesGroenBorn on 7 August 1958,Izegem

• Political group assistant,European Parliament (1983-1999)• Member of the YoungVolksunie executive (1980-1981,1984-1987)• Member of the VolksunieCouncil (1984-1987, 1995-2001)• Member of the Volksunie exe-cutive (1995-2001)• Member of the Groen! (GreenParty) executive committee(2002)• Member of the EuropeanParliament (since 1999)• Chairman of the Delegation tothe EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-UzbekistanParliamentary CooperationCommittees, and for relationswith Tajikistan,Turkmenistanand Mongolia (1999-2002)• Chairman of the Delegation tothe EU-Russia ParliamentaryCooperation Committee (2002-2004)

Jens HolmVänsterpartietBorn on 18 April 1971,Sundsvall

• Books: För vår rätt och värdi-ghet (For our Rights and Dignity)• Young people on daily life inColombia and Sweden, 1999.(Swedish and Spanish)• Food, Environment, Justice• The Effects of MeatConsumption on the Environmentand the Global Food Supply(Swedish, Finnish; 2001; English;2003).• Documentary films: Apor tillsalu (Monkeys for sale) - OnSwedish importsof monkeys from China for ani-mal experiments, 2002• Utlandsresa medBregottfabriken (A trip abroadwith the Bregott factory) - OnSwedishcalf exports to Holland, 2001.• Member of the EuropeanParliament

06 FS NOVEMBER 2008

The Members of the European Parliament signing thisManifesto do so with the intention of supporting and takingan active part in the process of resolution of the conflictaffecting the Basque Country. It is our hope that the conclu-sion of this conflict will come about on the basis of a multi-lateral political agreement which makes possible the sce-nario of peace and democracy that we all wish for.

We share the idea that the only solution that is valid for eve-ryone is one that is drawn up by everyone and based on dia-logue and agreement.

We share the idea that the solution entails recognition of allthe individual and collective rights of everyone who livesanywhere in the country, independently of whether theyreside under the Spanish or French administrations.

We believe that the only valid political solution will be onethat develops out of the strengthening of democracy andjustice so as to permit recognition of the Basque Country asa political subject and acceptance of the right of all the citi-zens of the Basque Country to decide on their future.

We agree that a key to the resolution of the Basque conflictwill be a multilateral agreement guaranteeing that allBasque people, anywhere in their country, shall be consul-ted about decisions involving their future in a manneragreed to by their social, political and union representatives.This will come about as the result of a process based ondialogue and negotiation, and in our view it is essential thatsuch a political agreement, arrived at by democratic means,should be endorsed through referendum by the entirepopulation of the Basque Country.

We also believe that this agreement must come about in apeaceful context in which all civil and political rights arerespected, and should therefore be honoured by the statesof the European Union.

It should be clear to all that participation in the resolution ofa conflict by democratic means is not a right but an obliga-tion, a social, trade-union and political duty, compulsorilyshared by all involved parties, which in the present caserange from ordinary citizens up to the European Union,including the French and Spanish states as well as a fullrange of Basque representatives.

Therefore, given the foregoing considerations, we havedecided to create a Friendship to support the peace processin the Basque Country, to be named “Support group for apeace process in the Basque Country”. Said support groupshall act within the framework of the European Parliament,and its objective shall be to perform a monitoring function,and if the case arises, to help towards the process of reso-lution. For let us not forget that peace in Basque Countrymeans peace in the heart of the European Union.

Founding MANIFESTO of theFriendshipGroup Towards a Peace Process in the BasqueCountry

In support of a peace process in the basque country

Basic Democratic Agreement for conflict resolution

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 07

1. FOREWORD

The Basques are a People unto themselves;they live in the provinces of Araba, Bizkaia,Gipuzkoa, Nafarroa, Lapurdi, NafarroaBeherea and Zuberoa. Their country is cur-rently divided into three different legal-politi-cal setups.

The Basque Country has a series specific ofhistorical, social and cultural characteristics,especially the language, Euskara, which istruly part of our common heritage.

The Basques are a diverse people; the diffe-rent types of national feeling and identitystem from that diversity.

The Basque Country lives in the midst of anunresolved historical conflict with theSpanish state and the French state. In thiscontext, citizens suffer violations of theirbasic rights, as there is no framework forpeaceful coexistence that guarantees allrights to all people.

A political conflict necessarily requires apolitical solution in the form of an inclusiveagreement among all parties coexisting inthe Basque Country.

This is why we believe that the conflict will beovercome through an inclusive process of

political dialogue and negotiation.

This must be a process with no winners andno losers, which guarantees all rights to allcitizens, no matter what their political beliefsare. This means that citizens should be invol-ved in the process and that they shall also bethe main beneficiaries of the process.

The decision on the present and the future ofthe Basque Country should be made by allthose who live and work in the BasqueCountry. The future of the Basque Countryshould be decided by its people, in whicheverdemocratic way is agreed upon by all theparties, who, in turn, shall be bound to res-pect whatever the citizens decide.

Therefore, as a starting point for theResolution Process, we believe it is essentialto previously arrive at a Basic DemocraticAgreement for conflict resolution.

2. BASIS FOR THE AGREEMENT

We have summarised the main idea of theBasic Democratic Agreement into the follo-wing sentence:

All citizens in the whole of the BasqueCountry must be consulted on the future ofthe Basque Country through whichever pro-cedure the parties agree.

Signed on:

Political parties : BATASUNA • EA • AB • ARALAR • ANV • ZUTIK Trade Unions : ELA • LAB • EHNE • STEE-EILAS • ELB • ESK • HIRUSocial groups and mouvements : ABK • Anai Artea • Askatasuna • Askapena • BilguneFeminista • Bai EHri • Demoak • Duina • Eguzki • EHE • EHKME • EIPK • Elkartzen •EPPK • Eraiki eritzi taldea • ESAIT • Etxerat • Euskal Herria bere eskola • EuskalKonfederazioa • Garaipen • Giza Eskubideen EHko Behatokia • Gurasoak • Herria 2000 Eliza• IA • IKA euskaltegiak • Matalas • Oinarriak • Orreaga • Fundazioa • Partaide • Segi • TAT

Basic DemocraticAgreement for conflict resolution

BASQUE COUNTRY

08 FS NOVEMBER 2008

EUSKAL HERRIA / BASQUE COUNTRY

Euskal Herria is located in the Bay of Biscay, in western Europe, between the states of France and Spain

Euskal Herria or the Basque Country is made up of seven historical provinces: Lapurdi (capital: Bayonne), Low Navarre (capital: DonibaneGarazi), Zuberoa (capital: Maule-Lextarre), Araba (capital: Gasteiz or Vitoria),Bizkaia (capital: Bilbao), Gipuzkoa (capital: Donostia or San Sebastian) andHigh Navarre (capital: Iruñea or Pamplona).

Even though Euskal Herria does not constitute a single administrative unit at present, its historical capital is Iruñea, also called Pamplona. Iruñea wasthe capital of the Kingdom of Navarre (824 – 1512), the longest-lasting andmost extensive political entity that has ever existed in Euskal Herria.

Euskal Herria• Population: 3,005,670

• Area: 20,950·3 square kilometres• Population density: 143·5 per km2• 685 municipalities

A COUNTRY IN THE BAY OF BISCAY

SEVEN PROVINCES, WITHIRUÑEA AS THEIR

CAPITAL

EUSKAL HERRIA / BASQUE COUNTRY

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 09

COUNTRY

The territorial organisation of the Spanishand French states has brought about politicaland administrative fragmentation of EuskalHerria’s seven provinces.

The existence of the Basque provinces ofZuberoa, Lapurdi and Low Navarre is not offi-cially recognised at all within the structure ofthe French state either individually or as acollective unit. From the time of the FrenchRevolution this territory became part of thedepartment of Basses-Pyrénées, the capitalof which is the Bearnese town of Pau. In 1971the department changed its name to the cur-rent denomination of Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

The remaining four Basque provinces, Araba,Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and High Navarre, formpart of the Spanish state, within which theyare currently split between two distinct auto-nomous communities. One of these consistsof High Navarre, and the other of the provin-ces of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. HighNavarre’s official name is now the ForalCommunity of Navarre, an autonomous com-munity consisting of the single province ofNavarre, with Iruñea (Pamplona) as its seat oflocal government. Araba, Bizkaia andGipuzkoa make up the Basque AutonomousCommunity, with its administrative capital inGasteiz (Vitoria). The district of Trebiñu isinside the territory of Araba yet it is subject tothe Burgos provincial administration, thusofficially a part of the Castile and León auto-nomous community). Similarly, the district ofVillaverde Turtzioz, although located withinBizkaian territory, is currently administeredfrom the autonomous community ofCantabria.

A COUNTRY DIVIDED BETWEEN TWO

STATES AND THREE

ADMINISTRATIVE REGIMES

COUNTRY A LONG-STANDING CONFLICT

It is difficult to say when the Basque conflict started; even his-torians disagree about this. Some say it dates from 1512 whenCastile conquered the Kingdom of Navarre by force, whileothers hold that the major landmarks marking its start werethe French Revolution of 1789 and the loss of the Basque pro-vinces’ fueros (historical laws and privileges) first in 1839 andagain in 1876.

These developments both resulted in the forced integration ofEuskal Herria into the political structures of France and Spain,setting the stage for an unhappy and antagonistic relationshipbetween these states and the Basque Country. In more recenttimes, the neglect of French governments in the NorthernBasque Country, and the Fascist uprising of 1936 in Spain andthe long-lasting dictatorial regime that it ushered in in theSouth, are widely considered to have further exacerbated thesituation.

Generation after generation of southern Basques have bornethe brunt of political violence and are well acquainted with themisery and suffering it brings about. There are still people livingtoday who witnessed the evils of the Fascist army uprising andthe Civil War that followed resulting in Spain’s forty-year-longdictatorship. Basques find it very hard to forget those forty yearsof oppression and hardship when all democratic political par-ties were banned, all symbols and expressions of EuskalHerria’s identity outlawed. The war alone, in which over fivethousand Basques faced Franco’s firing squads, was responsi-ble for many thousands of deaths in Euskal Herria, sent 100,000Basques into exile and put 45,000 more in prison out of a totalpopulation at that time of only 1,300,000 in Araba, Bizkaia,Gipuzkoa and High Navarre.

The most recent phase of this conflict began in the midst ofFranco’s iron-fisted rule when ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna,“Basque Country and Freedom”) was founded in 1959. Sincethen Euskal Herria has lived through another half century ofunending hardships brought about by acts of political violenceperpetrated by both sides in the dispute. What follows is a syn-thesis of the nature and extent of suffering caused by theconflict in this recent period.

• over a thousand deaths• 6.000 injured• over 8,000 acts of attack and sabo-tage• death squads• over 30,000 arrests• over 5,000 prison sentences, withmore than 700 Basque prisoners atthe present time• over 7,000 people tortured• death threats• hundreds of thousands of peopledeprived of civil and political rights• disappearances still unresolved• Outlawed political parties• Closed newspapers and radios• Dennial of freedom of speech• Dennial of cultural and languagerights

BASQUE COUNTRY

In as much as respect for the wishes ofBasque citizens is regarded as a funda-mental principle, very few people (8% inthe Basque Autonomous Community)are of the opinion that the Spanish stateought to defend the unity of Spain at allcosts. In the opinion of most people,then, it behooves the Spanish state torespect the choice of Basque citizens

Issues for discussion in all-party talksMost of the population of the BasqueAutonomous Community believe that thefollowing issues should be discussed inall-party talks:

-The nature of the relationship betweenEuskal Herria and the state of Spain.76% -Recognition to self-determination.69% -The relationship between the BasqueAutonomous Community, the ForalCommunity of Navarre and NorthernEuskal Herria. 64%

Most people in the Basque AutonomousCommunity are in agreement with aresolution adopted by the EuropeanParliament on the 25th of October, 2006in support of resolving the Basqueconflict through dialogue, and believethat this will help to bring about peace.

88% agree with EU parliament resolution 82% believe it brings Basques closer topeace.

FOR RESOLVING THE CONFLICT: RESPECT FOR THE BASQUE COUNTRY’S WISHES

Most people in the Basque AutonomousCommunity choose “Respecting the wishes ofthe Basque Country’s citizens” as the mostbasic principle that needs to be honoured byall sides in order for political normalisation tobe achieved. Most people also consider thatany choice made by a majority of the citizens ofthe Basque Country ought to be recognisedeven if this requires changes in Spain’s presentconstitution and legislation.

VIEWS CONCERNING THE NEED TO RESPECT THEWISHES OF BASQUE CITIZENS. BASQUE AUTONOMOUSCOMMUNITY, 2006 (%)

VIEWS CONCERNING THE NEED TO RESPECT THEDECISION OF BASQUE CITIZENS. BASQUE AUTONO-MOUS COMMUNITY, 2006 (%)

VIEWS CONCERNINGTHE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S RESOLUTION ON THEBASQUE QUESTION

WORK IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

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NOVEMBER 2008 FS 11

A group of MEPs (Members of the EuropeanParliament) decided to start a ‘group of friends’made up of MEPs from various groups and nationa-lities in the European Parliament, in order to work asa ‘guarantee of transparency’ of a possible processof dialogue in the Basque Country, and to ‘alert’ incase it were blocked.

That is what MEP Gérard Onesta, Vice-president ofthe European Parliament and one of the promotersof the information conference carried out on 30thNovember at the headquarters of the organisation,said. A significant delegation with more than fiftypolitical, trade union and social agents of theBasque Country that promote dialogue as the solu-tion to the conflict attended the event.

The delegation of the Basque group includedBegoña Lasagabaster, Mertxe Colina, ItziarFernández, Arritxu Santamaría, ZigorGoieaskoetxea, Rafa Larreina, Martin Aranburu andFernando Hevia. Besides, Irish priest Alec Reid andCatalan Aureli Argemí, manager of the EscarréInternational Centre for Ethnic and NationalMinorities (Ciemen), also attended.

The lecture in which Begoña Lasagabaster, ItziarFernández and Alec Reid¬ took part created greatinterest, both among the MEPs and among themedia.

Gérard Onesta, member of the Group of Greens-European Free Alliance, expressed that ‘theEuropean example shows that, when we are notdirectly involved in a conflict, we can help. Maybe, theBasque conflict has been observed from too close inBilbao, in Madrid, in Paris. Maybe, if we move away alittle bit, we will understand it better’.

Mary Lou McDonald, Irish MEP of Sinn Féin, empha-sized that the ‘Irish and the Basque conflict havesomething in common: that the status quo can notbe kept. We can not afford to commit ourselves.Solving conflicts is not our prerogative, but we mustsupport an inclusive process of dialogue. There is noother option’.

ERC MEP Bernat Joan i Marí considered as positiveholding a conference titled ‘Towards a peace processin the Basque Country’ in the European Parliament.‘Channels of dialogue are being opened in theBasque Country, and we hope they will soon lead tothe beginning of a real peace process’, he said.

As one of the promoters of the conference, he explai-ned that the goal was ‘to make possible the presen-tation of the strategy of the Basque representativesto the interested MEPs’.

Regarding the creation of a ‘group of friends’, he was

‘confident that the support of the EuropeanParliament will help to facilitate the good develop-ment of the process’.

Helmut Markov, from the PDS, said that ‘all theMEPs must know that it is necessary to work for thesolution of the Basque conflict. I’m ready to do eve-rything I can, both in the Parliament and outside ofit’. Alyn Smith also considered ‘very interesting’ thecreation of a support group, in order to activate ‘anopen dialogue’.

Among the attendants to the conference, there wasPNV MEP Josu Ortuondo. He emphasized theimportance of the initiative, as ‘it will certify a cleanand transparent process’. However, in principle, thePNV representative will not participate in the work ofthat ‘group of friends’.

Interference, no; help, yes

During the conference, EA MEP in Madrid BegoñaLasagabaster explained that the objective of thenewly formed group will not be ‘anyone’s interfe-rence or replacement; the conflict will be solvedamong the political sides’ but, ‘as we are a greatEuropean family’, she considered that the work ofthe MEPs could be used as a ‘facilitator’ in the pathtowards peace. ‘It is not a request for interference,but a request for help’.

In that regard, she pointed out that the members ofthe forum are aware of the effort some political par-ties will have to make, but she was convinced thatthere will be a moment when ‘the PP will have noother option but to join, as it would be impossible forthem not to be in a field were their positions, as legi-timate as the others, can be heard’.

In her participation, Itziar Fernández mentioned theprisoners, a collective that must be heard, as it is‘another part’. Father Alec Reid said that ‘theSocialist Party will realise that it has to be more sen-sible and flexible when it comes to the prisoners. TheSpanish Government could take a step by liberatingprisoners that are about to end their sentence. Ibelieve ETA’s truce is not too far away’, he mentio-ned.

The Irish priest, who affirmed to present the officialposition of the Redemptorist Church, insisted thatthe principles that must guide this process are, first,‘the dignity of the person’, followed by the ‘dialogueas the only element to solve the political conflicts likethe one in the Basque Country. Listening to theother, including our enemy, in order to know whathe/she wants. Dialogue is always successful, as itdoesn’t ask for one of the sides to give up its princi-ples’, he added.

A conference attended by Basquerepresentatives served to promotethe creation of the Friendship30th November 2005

WORK IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

12 FS NOVEMBER 2008

In the same place where they announced its creationalmost two months before, in the EuropeanParliament in Brussels, last 24th January 2006, elevenMEPs presented the support group ‘for the peace pro-cess in Euskal Herria’. Surrounded by great expecta-tion, both presidents of this ‘Friendship’, ERC MEPBernat Joan and his Die Linke German colleagueHelmut Markov affirmed that the key to the solution ‘isa multilateral agreement that will guarantee that allthe Basque citizens will be consulted’. In their opinion,‘the solution comes from going into democracy indepth’.

Eleven European MEPs from a variety of countries andpolitical traditions have created a Friendship or a sup-port group for a possible ‘peace process in EuskalHerria’. A process for the solution of the conflict that,according to the manifesto they developed for theoccasion, must have a multilateral agreement thatwill guarantee that all the Basque citizens, within thewhole country, will be consulted on the decisions thatinvolve their future, as agreed by their social, politicaland Trade Union representatives’.

The Committee for the Agreement of the BasqueCountry, a forum which was created as a result of thesigning of the Basic Democratic Agreement by morethan fifty Basque political, social and trade unionagents, announced the creation of the group at theheadquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels,last 30th November. They presented it officially in theEuropean Parliament in January 2006.

Active part of the process

Many representatives of Spanish and European mediaattended the event, and they followed carefully theexplanations of the ERC MEP Bernat Joan i Mari andthose of his counterpart from the German Die Linke,Helmut Markov, co-presidents of the group, its mainobjectives and lines of work, and launching the mani-festo.

In the text, they point out that they were ‘moved by thewill to help and to be an active part of the process ofpolitical solution of the conflict that affects the BasqueCountry’, and they expressed their wish for this solu-tion to be ‘based on a multilateral political agreementthat will make possible the peace and democracy sce-nario we all want’.

’We all share the idea that the only valid solution for allis the one developed among all and, at the same time,that solution must be based on dialogue and agree-ment’, say the signers, whose predisposition anddetermination was applauded by the representativesof the Committee for Comittee for Basic Agrementand Arritxu Santamaría Agreement, who went toBrussels to attend personally the presentation of thegroup.

The only valid solution

The group maintains that the solution of the conflict inEuskal Herria ‘involves the acknowledgement of all

the rights, individual and collective, of all the peoplethat live within the whole country, regardless of whe-ther they are under the Spanish or the French admi-nistration’.

In that regard, they consider that ‘the only valid andreal political solution comes from going deep intothe democracy and the justice, so the recognition ofEuskal Herria as political subject and the accep-tance of the right that belongs to all the citizens ofthe Basque Country to decide on their future is pos-sible’.

This manifesto, which contains principles that theirpromoters have committed to spread and defend, notonly in the Parliament, but also in other areas, such asthe European Commission, the Council and theCouncil of Europe, points out that the afore mentionedmultilateral agreement must be the result of a ‘pro-cess based on dialogue and negotiation’, and addsthat, from its point of view, ‘it will be unavoidable forthe political agreement, reached in a democratic way,to be ratified through the consultation to all theBasque population’.

Those elected representatives, who have shown theirwillingness to travel to the Basque Country to act asobservers, also believe that the agreement must takeplace within a ‘peace context’, where all the civil andpolitical rights are respected, and that, at the sametime, its content must be respected by the states thatmake up the European Union.

In fact, they maintain that, beyond being a right, get-ting involved in the democratic solution is an obliga-tion, ‘a social, trade union and political duty’, whichmust be shared with all the affected parties, fromordinary European citizens to the representatives ofthe Basque society, including the Spanish and Frenchstates.

During the press conference, the promoters of the ini-tiative expressed their hope that the support of theEuropean Parliament ‘will help to facilitate the gooddevelopment of the process’. ‘It is true that the pro-gress of a really democratic process takes time, butwe have a good opportunity, there is movement, andwe see that we can move forward’, assessed theGerman MEP.

His Catalan counterpart added that ‘we will do ourbest to work together with the Basque civil society, inorder to contribute to the development of process inBasque Country’.

The peace in Euskal Herria involves peace in the EU

The MEPs that, for the time being, have formalisedtheir joining to this support group and the manifestoprepared for its creation affirming that ‘we can not for-get that peace in Euskal Herria involves, at the sametime, peace within the EU’. A warning for those whowant to wash their hands of what they call ‘internalproblems’ of a State.

The support group considers essential the right to decide of the Basque people25th January, 2006

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NOVEMBER 2008 FS 13

EP supports peace initiativein Basque Country October 2006

Debate preceding the vote - 25 October

In a highly charged atmosphere, MEPs debated thepeace process in Spain. Opening the debate, PaulaLehtomäki for the Council Presidency said that theEuropean Community was born out of the quest forpeace and security and it is very important thatthese issues be discussed.

Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade andDevelopment Minister Lehtomäki said: "In its mee-ting on the 23 and 24 March 2006, the EuropeanCouncil expressed its satisfaction with the reportsgiven by the Spanish Prime Minister concerningthe announcement of a permanent ceasefire madeby the terrorist organisation ETA. The Presidencyof the European Union is satisfied with all theactions implemented to ensure that ETA will giveup terrorist methods and that a peaceful solutionwill be achieved in the framework of the democra-tic governmental bodies of Spain. The Councilexpresses once more its support to the measurestaken by the Member States to combat terrorism inaccordance with the principles of the rule of law."

European Commissioner

Commissioner Franco FRATTINI began by saying"terrorism is one of the worst imaginable threatsto democratic society" as it is "an assault on ourfundamental values: human rights, democracyand the rule of law". The Commission, he said,was committed, to bringing terrorists to justiceand he pointed to measures brought in at EU levelsuch as the European counter-terrorism strategy.He commended the attitude of Spanish society asexemplary. Its respect for democracy and the ruleof law over the years in the fight against terrorism"had paid off with the weakening of ETA". Heconcluded by saying "we shall not be divided today,since this is a debate against a common enemy ofSpain and Europe: terrorism".

Political group speakers

For the EPP-ED group, Hans-Gert POETTERING(DE) said "one of the noblest tasks in politics is thefight for peace". However, he highlighted the dif-ferences of opinion between the political groups -in particular the fact that two rival resolutions hadbeen tabled on the subject under debate. The EPP-ED's position was that it "asked how we can trustETA and Batasuna when they speak of peace" but"give no apology for their killings". He called onETA to express "remorse and a wish for atone-ment" and noted that it was still on the terrorist listof the EU, had not laid down its arms and was "stilla threat".

Martin SCHULZ (DE) , for the Socialist group,stressed that the "terrorism is an attack on values"and is never justified. But, he went on, "we all face

Full text of the adopted resolution

The European Parliament

1. Endorses the statement by the EuropeanCouncil of 23 and 24 March 2006 under theAustrian Presidency that ‘the European Councilwelcomed the reports of the President of theSpanish Government on the announcement of apermanent ceasefire made by the terrorist groupETA’;2. Supports the statement by the President of theEuropean Parliament, Josep Borrell, of 22 March2006, to the effect that ‘this is good news forSpanish society and the whole of Europe, sho-wing that terrorism can be fought by the force ofdemocracy, that this is a time to show calmnessand caution; a time to remember the many vic-tims of terrorism; and a time for hope, for theunity of all the political forces of democracy’;3. Calls on the Council and Commission to takeappropriate action;4. Condemns violence as it is morally unaccepta-ble and absolutely incompatible with democracy;5. Expresses its solidarity with the victims of ter-rorism;6. Supports the fight against terrorism and thepeace initiative in the Basque Country underta-ken by the Spanish democratic institutions withinthe framework of their exclusive competences.

On october25th, 2006 the European Parliamentadopted a resolution with 321 votes in favour, 311against and 24 abstentions on "the peace processin Spain", which expresses solidarity with the vic-tims of terrorism and supports the fight againstterrorism and the peace initiative in the BasqueCountry undertaken by the Spanish democraticinstitutions within the framework of their exclu-sive competences.

The resolution condemns violence as it is morallyunacceptable and absolutely incompatible withdemocracy. The House expresses its solidaritywith the victims of terrorism. The resolution wasput forward by the PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA andEUL/NGL groups. An alternative resolution bythe EPP-ED and UEN groups was not adopted(302 votes in favour, 322 against, 31 abstentions).

MEPs supported the statement by the thenPresident of the European Parliament, JosepBorrell, of 22 March 2006, to the effect that ‘this isgood news for Spanish society and the whole ofEurope, showing that terrorism can be fought bythe force of democracy, that this is a time to showcalmness and caution; a time to remember themany victims of terrorism; and a time for hope, forthe unity of all the political forces of democracy.’

WORK IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

14 FS NOVEMBER 2008

a challenge to find a way out". He "admired thecourage of the victims" but he also admired "thecourage of the Spanish government in trying to finda path to peace. He quoted the words of formerSpanish prime minister Aznar who had said in1998 that to achieve peace "we must open ourhearts to hope and forgiveness". This, he said, was"the spirit we must build on". His group did notalways agree with Mr Aznar, but this time "he wasright". What the Spanish government was nowdoing was trying to build on the work of its prede-cessors. In conclusion, "we must work on a cross-party basis and seize this opportunity".

For the Liberals, Graham WATSON (UK) said "theEU has been described as the greatest example ofconflict resolution in history". We must therefore"not turn a blind eye to the best prospect of peacein a generation". As with the Northern Irelandconflict, it was "occasionally necessary for politi-cians to take a risk for peace". "Building the houseof peace will not be easy", he acknowledged, buthis group wished to make an appeal to all sides to"set aside party politics" on this issue.

Monica FRASSONI (IT), speaking for theGreens/EFA group, said that her group had alwayssupported the peace process to defeat ETA terro-rism. My group, she said, rejects violence andoffered support to all victims of terrorism. MsFrassoni said that the Spanish peace process didnot exclude any option, and it was the responsibi-lity of the Basque people to solve the problems.Discussing the issues in the European Parliament,she said, did not mean the Parliament was condo-ning violence, but rather the opposite, encouragingthe peace process. Terrorism and violence, shesaid, affected all Europeans. The key to successwas dialogue.

Francis WURTZ (FR), for the EUL/NGL group, said

that his group had always beenagainst all forms of terroristattacks. Attacks on citizens couldnever be justified. It was impor-tant to remember the victims. Hisgroup, he said, looked forward to adefinitive end to the violence in theregion. It was necessary to take aresponsible and open approachespecially with regard to dialogue.His group, he said, would be sup-porting the joint motion for a reso-lution put forward by the PES,ALDE, Greens/EFA and his owngroup. "We all want a peacebased on the rule of law".

Brian CROWLEY (IE), for the UENgroup said: "We must look to thefuture and ensure that in thefuture there will be no more vic-tims, because political solutionswill be found for the differenceswhich there are between the diffe-ring peoples within Spain, withinFrance, and within the EuropeanUnion as a whole. The opportuni-ties which are now presented tous by this process should be gras-

ped, should be seized, but it should not be prede-termined that everybody will get what they wantand I think the most important issue that we nowface is not to point the finger of blame at somebodyelse from the Popular Socialist Party in Spain, butto encourage the main forces of democracy inSpain to unite together to find a solution for all ofthe people of Spain, not to be driven down the roadof division and dissension. Opportunity comes topass but not to pause. Let us grab that opportunityand give support."

Speaking for the IND/DEM group Jens-PeterBONDE (DK) said that within the Spanish peaceprocess all democratic principles should be res-pected. He said that there were only 12 states inthe world which matched their ethnic make-ups.The EU, he said, should not intervene in the inter-nal matters of Spain and it was for the MemberStates to solve their own internal conflicts. MrBonde said that he came from an area of conflicton the Danish / German border and often conflictwas resolved by referenda. The key to peace hesaid was giving more than you wanted based oncompromise.

Jim ALLISTER (UK), a non-attached MEP said:"Coming from Northern Ireland, which has expe-rienced what at times was euphemistically called apeace process, I see uncanny parallels and lessonsto be learned. ETA / Batasuna and IRA / Sinn Féinare both revolutionary Marxist-based organisa-tions intent on foisting their will and ideology on acivilian population through vicious violence as andwhen required. It is not surprising that deep terro-rist links have existed between them. Learn fromour mistakes. Therefore, do not be taken in bymere proclamations of commitments to peace bythose whose stock and trade is duplicity and may-hem! Test them long and test them hard or you toowill have your goodwill exploited."

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NOVEMBER 2008 FS 15

Speaking in Strasbourg, Bernat Joan MEP(Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya) said:

"As we see with this appalling case of the closure ofthe Basque daily paper Egunkaria, the Spanish statedoes not respect the fundamental principle of free-dom of speech which happens to be a pillar of theEU. Europe should oblige their current member sta-tes to adhere to the criteria that it seeks to imposeupon those countries applying for membership."

Josu Ortuondo MEP (Partido NacionalistaVasco/Basque National Party) said:

"In the Basque Country we've just had a referendumon the EU Constitution, which includes as an impor-tant part the EU Declaration on Human Rightswhose article 11 says that "everyone has the right tofreedom of expression". This right includes freedomof opinion and to receive or transmit information or

ideas without hindrance from public authorities andregardless of borders. Egunkaria was the only dailypaper published in Basque, which according toexperts is one of Europe's oldest languages andconstitutes a cultural tradition worthy of preserva-tion."

Gorka Knorr (Basque MP from Eusko Alkartasuna,Vice President of Basque Parliament) said:

"We believe that episodes like this are incompatiblewith the principles that today reflect the values of theEuropean Union, particularly now when we've hadthe ratification of the treaty that will create theEuropean Constitution. As a result we hope thatevents such as this closure of our Basque newspa-per Egunkaria, won't take place again in theEuropean Union and this remorseful anniversary willbe seen as a reminder of basic human rights: free-dom of press and the right to information."

Press ReleasesEuro-MPs denounce closure

of Basque newspaper23 February

Euro-MPs from a variety of countries and political traditions joinedforces in Strasbourg today to protest at the ongoing closure ofEgunkaria - the only newspaper in the Basque language. At a pressconference held in the European Parliament, they published adeclaration signed by a variety of MEPs denouncing the ongoing clo-sure of the paper and protesting at the implications for press free-dom. The newspaper was shut down two years ago.

EGUNKARIA

WORK IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

16 FS NOVEMBER 2008

We are in the middle of the ratification process of the"Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe". ThisTreaty, in its second chapter, includes the Charter ofFundamental Rights of the European Union, Article22 of which says:

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression.This right shall include freedom to hold opinions andto receive and impart information and ideas withoutinterference by public authority and regardless offrontiers.

2. The freedom and pluralism of the media shall berespected. `

On 13 December 2004, the Government of Spain pre-sented a Memorandum to the EuropeanCommission requesting recognition in the EuropeanUnion of all the official languages of Spain, includingEuskera (which is, along with Spanish, the co-officiallanguage in the Basque Country) and providing acopy of the Constitutional Treaty in Euskera, while atthe same time making a proposal for the officialrecognition in the European Union of the languagesother than Spanish.

In the European context, the scrupulous respect forthese principles should form part of the Communityheritage, and should lead to the restoration of anyright infringed in the area of freedom of expressionand information. That is why, through this state-ment, we want to express our concern to all theEuropean institutions, starting with the EuropeanParliament, about the closing of the newspaperEuskaldunon Egunkaria.

On 20 February 2005 two years will have passedsince the closing of the Basque-language newspa-per "Euskaldunon Egunkaria", the only daily publica-tion published in this official language in the BasqueCountry. It is worth remembering that the Basquelanguage is recognised as the language of Basquesin Article 6 of the law regulating the powers and ins-titutions of the Basques, the Statute of Autonomy ofGernika. Additionally, the Basic Law on theNormalisation of the Use of the Basque Language,Article 22, "recognises that all citizens have the rightto be informed by the media both in Euskera and inSpanish".

The closing of the newspaper created a great deal ofcommotion, social concern and reaction, and eventhe Petition Commission of the EuropeanParliament resolved to make a petition regarding it. It must be said that Euskaldunon Egunkaria was anewspaper that also formed part of the Europeannetwork MIDAS (European Organization of Daily

Newspapers in Minority and Regional Languages),along with 28 other newspapers published in variousregional languages, such as Dolomiten,Tageszeitung, Primorski (Republic of Italy), ElPeriódico de Catalunya, Avui, El Punt, Diari deBalears, Segre, Regió 7, El 9 Nou, El Correo Galego,Vilaweb (Spain), Nyan Aland, Tidningen (AlandIslands), Flensborg-avis, Serbske Nowiny (FederalRepublic of Germany), Hufvudsatdbladet,Jakobstads Tidning, Vasabladet, Osterbottningen(Finland), La Quotidiana–Die Südostsweitz(Switzerland), La Voce del Popolo (Croacia),Nordschleswiger (Denmark), Lá (Republic ofIreland), HHRF (Hungarian minority of Romania,Slovakia, Serbia, Ukrania); Ujszo (Hungarian mino-rity, Slovakia), Szabadság (Romania). MIDAS doesimportant work for the reinforcement of the press inthe so-called minority and regional languages, for-ging professional and technological links among thedifferent types of media operating in variousEuropean states.

Without detriment to the judicial steps that must betaken in this or in any other case, it is clearly note-worthy and paradoxical that the newspaper remainsclosed, even today, as a "precautionary measure". Itis easy to see the harm caused, in a general way, tothe fundamental public freedoms of expression andcommunication, that is, to Basque society as a wholeand, with special intensity, to speakers of Euskeraand, among them, the readers and subscribers ofthis newspaper. Also negatively affected are thenewspaper’s employees and collaborators, and therights of the shareholders, and economic damagehas been caused to the suppliers and creditors ofthe newspaper and associated companies, demons-trating that the closure affects fundamental rights.

Special mention should go to the harm caused to thepersons on trial, important personalities in the worldof Basque culture, who have received support andsolidarity from the widest possible spectrum of poli-tical, social and institutional figures in the BasqueCountry.

In these times in which Europe is attempting to opennew spaces for justice, prosperity, freedom andsecurity, and in which the very text of the Treaty esta-blishing a European Constitution emphasises therights of citizens in a clear way, we believe it neces-sary to call for the reconsideration of such closureand for the restoration of the rights of the affectedBasque speakers.

European ParliamentStrasbourg, 22 February 2005

The full declaration, with list of signatories, is copied below:

MANIFESTO IN FAVOUR OF SUSPENDING THE CLOSURE OFTHE NEWSPAPER "EUSKALDUNON EGUNKARIA" AND OF RES-

PECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ANDINFORMATION OF BASQUE-SPEAKING CITIZENS.

Signed: Mónica FRASSONI, Graham WATSON, Lapo PISTELLI, Alain LIPIETZ, Gérard ONESTA, JillEVANS, Ian HUDGHTON, Alyn SMITH, Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jens-Peter BONDE, Raúl ROMEVA. JosuORTUONDO, Bernat JOAN i MARÍ, Henrik LAX, Ignasi GUARDANS, Jules MAATEN, Cecilia MALMSTRÖM,Sarah LUDFORD, Elspeth ATTWOOLL, Karin RESETARITS, Bart STAES, Giulietto CHIESA

STATEMENTS

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 17

We want to welcome very warmly the decision ofETA to declare a permanent cease fire from 24th ofMarch.We in the EU need to recognise the importance andsignificance of this historic step.We should not underestimate the significance ofthis move and the opportunities it creates.We consider it is a very important forward step inorder to create the necessary conditions to developthe peace process in the Basque Country. It is avery important forward step for Europe.We also want to congratulate all the people, socialand political agents that have made this possible.We, as a Friendship that supports a democraticprocess for the resolution of the conflict are espe-cially happy with this.In this sense we commit ourselves to continueworking to create a peaceful and democratic per-manent scenario in the Basque Country.

In order to make this possible we ask for specialcommitment to:1- Spanish and French Governments. To suspend

all the exceptional tribunals, indictments andmeasures against Basque political parties andrepresentatives. We also ask them to respect civil,political and human rights for all Basque citizenswith no exception. Including the rights for politicalprisoners.2- We ask the European Parliament, to theEuropean Commission and to the EuropeanCouncil to get involved in the process in order tomake it success. A process that should guaranteethe right of the Basques to decide their futurefreely. Respect for this decision on the part of theSpanish, French and European institutions is thefundamental key to achieving an endurable andstable peace and democracy in the BasqueCountry.3- Taking into account the fact that the EuropeanCouncil will meet in the coming days here inBrussels, and knowing that they will make a firstanalysis of this important happening, we ask thatthe Council adopt practice compromises, whichwill assure the development of a democratic andirrevocable process in the Basque Country.

The presidents of the Friendship, Helmut Markovand Bernat Joan, presented yesterday in Brusselsa document where they urged the European insti-tutions to get involved in the activation of a pro-cess in Euskal Herria, and they emphasize that theright of the Basque people to decide must be gua-ranteed.

BRUSSELSThe presidents of the Friendship or the SupportGroup for the Peace Process in Euskal Herria,MEPs Bernat Joan (ERC) and Helmut Markov (DieLinke), appeared in Brussels, in order to urge theEuropean Parliament, the European Commissionand the Council of Europe ‘to get involved in theprocess, in order for it to culminate in success’.

Joan and Markov made public a document wherethey emphasize that the process in Euskal Herria‘should guarantee the right of the Basque people todecide their future freely’.

Besides, they add that ‘the respect to that decisionby the Spanish, French and European institutions isthe fundamental key to reach lasting and stablepeace and democracy in Euskal Herria’.

Joan showed himself ‘absolutely sure’ that themediation of a well-known personality of the inter-national area will be needed in Euskal Herria, as it

happened in Ireland, after IRA’s truce. ‘If it is aninternal issue, and if one of the sides is judge andjury, the peace process will fail. Therefore, I amsure that the international mediation is essential inorder to solve the problem’, assured the MEP fromEivissa.

Opening the doors to other groups In that regard, Joan explained that ‘this could be agood time to open the doors of our support group torepresentatives of other political groups of theParliament, in order to make possible a betterunderstanding of the Basque conflict, and to beable to collaborate together towards a satisfactorysolution for all the parts involved’.

In fact, the group has been talking to the presidentsof the main groups of the European Parliament,such as ¬Hans Gert Pöttering, from the PopularParty; Martin Schultz, from the Socialist Party; andGraham Watson, from the Alliance of Liberals andDemocrats, in order to sound out their willingnessto support the Friendship.

Joan added that the Friendship will ask for theEuropean Parliament to carry out monitoring tasksfor the conflict, so the organisation is able to ‘buildbridges of peace’.

Both MEPs also appealed for dialogue and caution,

Friendship Statement on ETA´s ceasefire24th March, 2006

The Friendship insists on demanding the involvement of the EU30th March, 2006

STATEMENTS

The support group of the European Parliament forthe Basque Country reported that measures like theimprisonment of political leaders of Batasuna, theattacks on Basque political parties, and ‘courts ofexception’ are ‘an obstacle for the creation of apeace scenario’ in the Basque Country, and insistedon the need to involve the European institutions, inorder to solve a conflict that affects the wholeEuropean public opinion. ‘As “friendship” –supportgroup– we support a democratic process for thesolution of the conflict’, but ‘we want to express aspecial concern for the fact that eight members ofthe national board of Batasuna have been chargedwith expressing their political opinions. They mightbe imprisoned. Their crime was holding a pressconference where they welcomed the cease-fire’,complained in a signed statement Catalan BernatJoan and German Helmut Marcov, presidents of thesupport group of the European Parliament.

In the opinion of that collective, which gathers Irish,German, French, Catalan and Portuguese MEPs,among others, that such measures ‘break the poli-tical and civil rights’ and ‘do not help the peace pro-cess, but they damage it’, as they ‘hinder the crea-tion of a democratic scenario in the BasqueCountry’. Because of that, they consider that boththe Spanish and the French Governments shouldsuspend the ‘courts of exception’, the accusations,and the measures against the political parties andtheir representatives. ‘We also want political andcivil rights to be respected, and we ask the

European institutions to become more involved inthe process, so it is successful’, requested ERC MEPBernat Joan.

According to this support group, which meets regu-larly in the headquarters of the EuropeanParliament since last January, in this process, theparticipation of all the political forces, and the gua-ranteed right of the Basque people to decide theirfuture is necessary. ‘The respect for such a decisionis essential to achieve lasting and stable peace anddemocracy in the Basque Country’, he concluded. Contacts with EPP and PES In fact, the ‘friendship’might have started to maintain ‘casual contacts’with other political forces, like the EPP and PES,through President Helmut Markov. ‘We hope themain political forces will feel concerned by our acti-vities’, recognised Joan. However, for the timebeing, the answers appear to be quite scarce, andeven the Spanish socialist group insists that theissue is ‘exclusively Spanish’ and that the EuropeanParliament should not interfere.

In spite of the lack of involvement on the Europeanlevel, the ERC MEP has optimistic words regardingthe announcement of Spanish president José LuisRodríguez Zapatero, by which he will open thenegotiations with ETA in June.

However, he stressed that, at the same time, thereshould be a negotiation committee, which will solvethe ‘political conflict’.

‘as it is the time to listen, and not to close doors’. The Esquerra Republicana MEP pointed out that itis completely necessary that ‘the Basque peopleare able to talk under no duress of any kind, andthat they decide freely and democratically theirfuture and their mechanisms of coexistence, as theend of violence is not a simple matter of publicorder’.

The document presented by Markov and Joanconsiders ETA’s permanent cease-fire as ‘a historicstep’, so it urges the European Union to ‘acknow-ledge its importance’.

‘We consider it a very significant step forward tocreate the necessary conditions to develop thepeace process in Euskal Herria. It is a veryimportant step forward for Europe’, adds thedocument of the Support Group of the EuropeanParliament.

The presidents of the Friendship congratulated ‘allthe social and political agents that made possible’the cease-fire, while they emphasized that, as ‘pro-moters of a democratic process for the solution ofthe conflict, we are especially happy with this deci-sion’.

In that regard, they renewed their commitment tokeep working, in order to ‘create a permanent pea-ceful and democratic scenario in Euskal Herria’. Besides, both presidents of the Friendship pointedout that the political process can not allow any kindof exclusions, and that ‘all the political parties havethe right to participate’.

Markov and Joan also emphasized that ‘the citizensfrom all the Basque territories have the right toparticipate in the political process’, while theydefended that ‘the Basque people must have thelast word’.

The support group of the European Parliament demands respect for political rights

STATEMENTS

The European Parliament plans to vote a statementof support to the openness of a solution process forthe conflict in Euskal Herria by the end ofSeptember 2006. The Support Group createdamong the groups in the European Parliament(Friendship) emphasized, after holding the firstmeeting of the term, that such a statement shouldpromote the ‘acknowledgement of all the individualand collective rights of anyone living in any place ofthe country, regardless of whether it is under theSpanish or the French administration', and alsostressed that the negotiation must be developed inEuskal Herria.

BRUSSELS

The European Parliament has chosen the end ofSeptember to vote a statement of support to theopenness of a solution process in Euskal Herria.Friendship, the Support Group created in theEuropean Parliament, explained in Brussels thebasic aspects that this resolution should include.Among those aspects, the most important were theacknowledgement of the individual and collectiverights of all the Basque citizens, ‘regardless of whe-ther they live under the Spanish or the French admi-nistration’, and the defence of a negotiation that willtake place in Euskal Herria.

That is how the presidents of the group, Joan andHelmuth, explained it yesterday in the press confe-rence they hosted in the European Parliament. A fewhours before, Friendship held the first meeting of thepolitical term. ‘We believe that the European Unionhas a role in this peace process, that it will be one ofthe actors that will participate in it’, they said.

Next, they explained that the statement should pro-mote ‘the acknowledgement of all the individual andcollective rights of those who live in the country,regardless of whether they live under the Spanish orthe French administration’, and stressed that 'theonly valid solution is the one agreed among everyonethrough dialogue'.

Besides, they added that the European Parliamentshould support the negotiation of the agreement inEuskal Herria, within a ‘peaceful, where all civil andpolitical rights are respected’.

In that regard, they expressed their satisfaction atthe statements made by Spanish president JoséLuis Rodríguez Zapatero, 'who said that the deci-

sions will be taken in the Basque Country, with thedemocratic and peaceful participation of all the poli-tical parties’.

However, they suggested that the EuropeanParliament supports ‘the inclusion of all the politicaltendencies in the political arena’, in order for all thepolitical options to be able to be present in the muni-cipal and provincial elections, making a reference toBatasuna.

To the questions of the journalists on the need torepeal the Law on Political Parties in order to ‘lega-lize’ the pro independence group, they said that theway to solve this issue ‘belongs to the SpanishGovernment, the Basque Government and the politi-cal parties’.

During their appearance, the Friendship representa-tives assured that the current political context ‘ismore positive’ than one year ago, after the announ-cement of a permanent cease-fire by ETA. However,they complained about the delay on the constitutionof a negotiation committee, ‘because the conflict isbasically political’, emphasized Markov and Joan.

The Catalan MEP insisted on that issue in the state-ments he made in the morning for Radio Euskadi.‘The negotiation committee must be created as soonas possible, and all the political tendencies must berepresented in it, without any kind of exclusions’, hesaid. ‘The area of decision of this political problemmust be Euskal Herria’, he emphasized.

Friendship also appealed to the European PeoplesParty (EPP), to support the resolution that will beprobably voted by the end of September. During thepress conference in Brussels, Joan considered thatthe EPP ‘is very diverse inside’ and he was convincedthat ‘their majority common sense’ will not hinderthe statement. ‘I can not imagine a resolution likethe one we are suggesting with the opposition of 300MEPs in the European Parliament’, he said.

'Political consensus'

ERC MEP insisted that it is possible to achieveconsensus among all the political groups represen-ted in the European Parliament and, in that regard,issued a direct appeal to the Spanish PP to join thisinitiative. ‘I hope they move away from the entren-ched position they have had during the AznarGovernment’, he pointed out.

The Friendship asks the European Parliament to protect the

collective rights of all the Basque citizens

STATEMENTS

20 FS NOVEMBER 2008

The co-president of the Friendship for the support ofthe Basque process, Bernat Joan, emphasized insome statements he made to the media that, afterthe approval of the resolution, ‘now, our main task isto collaborate, in order to activate the eagerly awai-ted negotiation committee’.

Joan considers that the debate and approval of theresolution ‘are two objectives that the Friendshipestablished from the beginning, and that have beenfulfilled. Therefore, we must be satisfied’.

’The negotiation committee has to be activated assoon as possible, as it is indispensable to solve theconflict. Up to now, we have insisted a lot on the‘public order’ issue and on the end of all activity byETA. We have focused much attention on those mat-ters whenever there has been the minimum distur-bance, such as any kind of kale borroka outbreak, orthe gun issue. Now, our work consists on transfer-ring the speech to another point: emphasizing thatthe origin of such violence is a non-solved politicalproblem, and that such conflict must be solved poli-tically. We have to build the necessary tools for that,and that is where the negotiation committee comesinto the scene’, explains the ERC MEP.

After stressing that the main task to constitute thecommittee corresponds to the Basque parties, Joanconsiders that, ‘since Europe supports the peaceprocess, it can not wash its hands of it. The Europeaninstitutions have to be an active element in this pro-cess. What we have to do now is to create the mostappropriate conditions to create, with no exclusions,

the negotiation committee’.

The MEP from Eivissa believes that the event thattook place in Strasbourg is one of the most signifi-cant steps that have occurred in Europe since therecognition of the national freedoms.

’During the last six months, they have acknowledgedthe legitimacy of the self-determination process car-ried out in Montenegro, which was a pleasant sur-prise. The voting is another big step. Acknowledgingthat the arena that takes the peace process in EuskalHerria is Europe is very important’.

Victory for the process

In that regard, Joan is critical with the Spanishmedia, which mostly emphasized the narrow marginwith which the resolution was approved.

’I don’t want to know what they would have said ifthey had gotten the votes we got. I asked a PP coun-terpart if they would have thought we had won if wehad gotten 311 votes and they had gotten 321. Indemocracy, we must accept that the one that getsthe most votes wins, and the PP is not very good atthat. It already happened in the elections for theSpanish Parliament, and it has not assimilated itsdefeat yet. Not accepting the result of democraticprocesses when they are adverse is starting tobecome a tradition for the PP. And a very bad one, bythe way’, added the co-president of this supportgroup for the Basque process.

After the European resolution on Euskal Herria, the Friendship will promote the negotiation committee

Representatives fromGermany, Scotland,Flanders, Ireland, Cata-lonia, Denmark, Italy,Corsica, Galizia, Belarusand other countriesassembled in Gernikaand discussed the rea-lity of the BasqueCountry forming a net-work with the objectiveto internationalize the desire for the right to self determi-nation of the Basque Country throughout internationalinstitutions and organizations. All members of the net-work committed themselves in support of a resolution ofthe political conflict and pledged to work together to pro-mote a peaceful and democratic transition to allow theBasque People the same rights enjoyed in a normaldemocratic country.

Gernika Network of elected representatives supporting the

right to self determination of theBasque Country launched

The ANC supports thisinitiative by ETA (cease-fire) and trusts that itwill contribute to theprocess of finding apeaceful, lasting andjust resolution to thesituation in the Basqueregion.

The ANC calls on all parties to respondpositivelly to this historic anouncementand use it as an opportunity to engagein meaningful dialogue on the future ofthe region.The ANC wellcomes the response tothe announcement by Spanish PrimeMinister José luis Rodriguez Zapatero.We are confident that with the supportof his Spanish Socialist Workers Party,our sister party in the SocialistInternational, Prime Minister Zapaterowill be able to make sure of this latestdevelopment to take the peace processforward.

4th April 2006

STATEMENTS

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 21

As a Friendship group in support for a Peace process in the Basque Country, we would like to express ouropinion on the situation of the peace process after the Bomb attack in Madrid airport last December 30th.

FIRST and regarding the bombing itself we would like to strongly condemn this brutal attack against peaceand the Basque and Spanish societies, and also express our most sincere sympathy and sadness to thefamilies of the two men killed in the attack.

SECOND, We cal ETA to immediately stop with all kind of violent activities and go back to a cease fire situa-tion. The use of violence is incompatible with any peace process.

THIRD, In the same sense we also want to remember that this Friendship:

- “Welcomed very warmly the decision of ETA to declare a permanent cease fire from 24th of March2006”- Welcomed very warmly the declaration of Mr Zapatero on the 29th of June 2006 in which he announ-ced the opening of official talks with ETA, and its compromise to respect the decision that the Basqueswill adopt throw legal and democratic ways.- The European parliament hold on the Basque peace process last 25th of October, in which theEuropean Parliament adopted a resolution expressing its support for the peace process and deman-ded to the European Commission, the European Council and the member States to act consequently.

FOURTH, This Friendship was created one year ago with the intention of supporting and taking an active partin the process of resolution of the conflict affecting the Basque Country. It is our hope that the conclusion ofthis conflict will come about on the basis of a multilateral political agreement which makes possible the sce-nario of peace and democracy that we all wish for.

We share the idea that the only solution that is valid for everyone is one that is drawn up by everyone andbased on dialogue and agreement.

We share the idea that the solution entails recognition of all the individual and collective rights of everyonewho lives anywhere in the country, independently of whether they reside under the Spanish or French admi-nistrations.

We believe that the only valid political solution will be one that develops out of the strengthening of demo-cracy and justice so as to permit recognition of the Basque Country as a political subject and acceptance ofthe right of all the citizens of the Basque Country to decide on their future.

We also believe that this agreement must come about in a peaceful context in which all civil and politicalrights are respected, and should therefore be honoured by the states of the European Union.FIFTH, We believe that the necessity for a peace process that will overcome the political conflict in theBasque Country is today as necessary as before.

SIXTH, we also call all the parties involved in the conflict to take up again dialogue and to create democra-tic conditions that will guarantee all human, civil and political rights for everyone and that will make possi-ble the development of this process in order to reach an agreement. We would like to ask all parties invol-ved in the conflict to recover the positive attitude and spirit that existed amongst all parties at the beginningof the process.

SEVENTH, We, as a Friendship group that is working “Towards a peace process in the Basque Country”would like to express our willingness to continue working in favour of the resolution of the Basque conflict.In this sense we would like to announce that in our last meeting on Tuesday 9th January, we decided thework agenda for the year 2007, which includes:

1. Monthly meetings with social and political actors from the Basque Country2. Meetings with:a. Basque Political prisoners Collective (EPPK)

b. AHOTSAK (women collective for the peace process)c. Sociologic analysts (Aztiker)d. Trade unions

And also with representatives of the European political parties and institutions.3. Visits to the Basque Country4. Exhibition in the Parliament

Open Letter to the European UnionThursday, 11th January 2007

STATEMENTS

22 FS NOVEMBER 2008

A year after the beginning of ETA’s permanentcease-fire –which was followed by statements of theEuropean institutions for a peace process -, ninemonths after Zapatero’s statement on the right ofthe Basque citizens to decide, and 50 years after theTreaties of Rome that initiated the European Union,the members of the Friendship insisted yesterday ontheir support to a negotiated solution to the conflict,and appealed the European institutions to get invol-ved, in order to force an agreement. They presentthis document as an ‘open statement to theEuropean Community’.

The text, which was read by ERC MEP Bernat Joanand Bairbre de Brún from Sinn Féin yesterday, inBrussels, gathers all those precedents. After remin-ding of the agreement for a peace process made bythe majority of the European Parliament, last 25thOctober, it emphasizes that ‘the European institu-tions should have a main and decisive role in theBasque peace process. These days, we are celebra-ting the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome.Within that framework, we believe it is time for theEuropean Commission, the European Council andthe member states to act accordingly, in order toachieve the success of the peace process. TheEuropean Union not only has the possibility, but it

has the moral and political obligation to promote apeace process in the Basque Country’, added thestatement. It concluded with the following doublestatement: ‘Euskal Herria needs it. The EuropeanUnion needs it’.

The two keys

The press release mentions that, eighteen years ago,the negotiation process between the SpanishGovernment and ETA in Algiers was frustrated.Therefore, it stresses that almost two decades havebeen necessary to get to the time when ‘the solutionis possible again’.

For the members of the support intergroup forEuskal Herria, ‘there is a real opportunity’. And itadds that it should answer what it defines as ‘twoknots of the conflict: territoriality and the right todecide’. The signers insist that the key lies in theright of the Basque people to decide their ownfuture.

It concludes with a wish: the future celebration of theanniversary of the solution of the Basque conflict,and ‘the acknowledgment of the Basque Country asa political entity’.

Friendship urges to achieve an agreement ‘now’,and asks for a greater European involvement

The 27th of May there will be local and regional elec-tions in the spanish state.After the banning of the recently created newPolitical Party ASB, more than 82,000 basquesbacked with their signatures in Notary Offices thecreation of 225 electoral lists to run for these elec-tions.The Spanish justice, after the petitions done by StateAttorney and Government itself has banned all theseelectoral lists promoted by the pro- independenceleft in the Basque Country.Another 133 electoral lists of the Historical politicalparty ANV have also been banned by the SpanishState. ANV, a legal political party formed in 1931 witha long tradition fighting fascism.Spanish National Police, Spanish Guardia Civil andBasque Autonomous Police (ertzaintza) have investi-gated more than 11,000 citizens, among them mostof the candidates, in order to justify this “juridical”decision. Lists containing Ideological background ofcitizens have been forwarded from police offices tocourts.The Political parties law” has been used or misusedin order to ban all these lists. A law considered to bea step forward in the criminalisation of ideas byEuropean Human Rights and Juridical associations.This decision creates serious difficulties to a demo-cratic solution of the ongoing conflict in the BasqueCountry.

The MEPs signing this statement, consider this ban-ning to be a serious attack against the most basiccivil and political rights in Europe.We make an appeal to the Spanish state to stop suchmeasures and to promote the respect of civil andpolitical rights.In the Basque Country a political peaceful resolu-tion, without any violence, of the conflict is neces-sary. All international actors, including ourselves,should promote this political solution based in therespect of all individual and collective rights.Strassbourg1.- Jens Holm (Sweden)2- Helmuth Markov, (Germany)3- Eva-Britt Svensson, (Sweden)4- Tatjana Zdanoka, (Latvia)5- Raul Romeva i Rueda, (Catalonia)6- Bernat Joan i Mari, (Catalonia)7- Bairbre de Brún, (Ireland)8- Mary Lou Mc Donald, (Ireland)9- Jiri Mastalka, (Czech Republic)10- Erik Meijer, (Netherlands)11- Vladimir Remek, (Czech Republic)12- Esko Seppanen, (Finland)13- Miguel Portas, (Portugal)14- André Brie,(Germany)15- Vera Flasarova, (Czech Republic)16- Feleknas Uca, (Germany)17- Gabriele Zimmer, (Germany)

Statement concerning Local and Regional elections in the Basque Country

STATEMENTS

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 23

Reaction to the political situation in the Basque Country15th june 2007We, undersigning this statement, consider that thesituation of the peace process in the Basque Countryis facing a serious crisis.

We want to express our deepest disappointment withthe decision of ETA to end the permanent cease firedeclared on March 22 2006. This decision was rein-forced by the declaration made by Zapatero in June2006 in which he announced the opening of officialtalks with ETA and his agreement to respect thedecision that the Basques will adopt. These twodecisions made us believe that a peace process waspossible in the Basque Country, a peace process thatwould solve the roots of the political conflict and givethe right to the Basque country to decide upon itsfuture freely.

In our opinion the fact that ETA has broken the per-manent cease fire does not mean that the peaceprocess should stop. On the contrary, we believe thatthe peace process is more necessary than ever, andwe call for dialogue to continue, between ETA andSpanish Government, and also between all politicalparties in the Basque Country, in order to strengthenthe peace process, and reach an agreement on thepolitical future of the Basque Country.

It is important that in the immediate future all par-ties remain calm. For this reason we believe thatrecent decisions of the Spanish Governmentdamage the building of trust among the differentactors involved in the conflict. Among other thingsthe decisions to:

Send back to prison Iñaki de Juana Chaos, who aftera hunger strike of more than a hundred days, obtai-ned last 1st of March an extenuating prison regime.

Ban Batasuna leaders Arnaldo Otegi and PernandoBarrena from leaving the Spanish state, when theywere going to attend a workshop on conflict resolu-tion in South Africa.

Arrest and imprison Arnaldo Otegi, leader ofBatasuna, head of the negotiations in this party, andnecessary interlocutor for the resolution of theconflict.

As a conclusion we want to ask ETA and SpanishGovernment to take the necessary steps in order tomaintain the integrity on the peace process and weurgently ask all parties involved in the conflict toredouble their efforts in order to solve the ongoingconflict.

As Members of the European Parliament, we believethat the international community could play a veryimportant role in promoting a peace process in theBasque Country, especially now that it is facing aserious crisis.

Therefore we, the undersigned want to express ourcommitment to the peace process in the BasqueCountry, and we ask the European Union Institutionsto make some commitment with the peace process.Because building peace in the Basque Countrymeans building peace in the European Union.

Eva-Britt Svensson MEP - Eric Meijer MEP - MaryLou McDonald MEP - Miguel Portas MEP - MarcoRizzo MEP - Vladimir Remek MEP - Esko SeppanenMEP - Feleknas Uca MEP - Helmuth Markov MEP -Gabriele Zimmer MEP - Jiri Mastalka MEP - Bairbrede Brún MEP - Andre Brie MEP - Jens Holm MEP

P. U. - BILBO The first meeting of the Friendship or Support Groupthat will follow the solution process for the Basqueconflict will take place before the end of January2006. That is what Latvian MEP and member of theSupport group Tatjana Zdanoka said in front of allthe people at the Euskalduna Palace, yesterday. ‘Wewould like it to be the beginning of collaboration and,at the end of that collaboration, to achieve a multila-teral political agreement that will bring the peaceand democracy situation we all want’. Zdnaoka ack-nowledged the work carried out by the negotiationcommittee up to now. She applauded the conclusionthat the only valid solution for all of us is the one

agreed among all of us, and that the solutiondemands for the acknowledgement of all the rights.

The Latvian MEP also appealed to participate in thepeace process. ‘Participation is not just a right, it is asocial, political and trade union obligation’, sheemphasized. Proof of that were the participants inthe event held by the Negotiation Committee. Theevent was attended by the whole NegotiationCommittee, together with Alec Reid, Sjürdur Skaaleand Aureli Argemi. Besides, all the agents thatsigned the document took ten members to the event.It was a qualified representation of the political par-ties.

’Participating in the process is an obligation for all of us, in order to solve the conflict’ MEP Tatjana Zdanoka ratified the commitment of the Support Group in Bilbao

WORK IN THE FIELD

WORK IN THE FIELD

24 FS NOVEMBER 2008

Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún visitedBatasuna leader Mr Arnaldo Otegi on,Friday 5th October 2007, in MartutenePrison in Donostia/San Sebastian.

Speaking ahead of the visit a Sinn FéinSpokesperson said:

"Today's visit is at the request of theBasque party Batasuna. Sinn Féin is keento express our solidarity with Mr Otegi,who has been a key player in promotingthe Peace Process and a negotiated settle-ment in the Basque Country. He should bereleased immediately.”

Commenting on the arrest of the NationalExecutive of Batasuna by Spanish police inSegura last night, the spokespersonadded:

"We have argued for some time that thebanning of Batasuna and jailing of its poli-tical representatives is not conducive tothe successful advancement of a peaceprocess in the region. All legal restrictionsagainst Batasuna should be lifted."

DONOSTIA. German MEP HelmutMarkov, from the European UnitedLeft, considered yesterday that, withvarious members of Batasuna’sNational Committee in prison, it willnot be possible to carry out a peaceprocess in the Basque Country.Markov made these statements out-side the Martutene prison inDonostia, before he visited Batasunaleader Arnaldo Otegi, charged with15 months in prision for being anäpologist of terrorism. Markov is oneof the MEPs that, in January 2006,became a member of the ‘supportgroup for the peace process in theBasque Country, which is also madeup of members from ERC, Iniciativaper Catalunya-Verds, the ScottishNationalist Party and Sinn Féin,among others.Yesterday, he considered that thesolution to the political conflict mustbe the result of an agreement amongthe Basque politicians, achieved inpeace, and that we need to leaveEuskadi follow its own path andobtain its self-determination.Together with him was Batasunamember Eusebio Lasa, who assuredthat the pro-independence left wingis working in order to ‘activate thepolitical path’ again.

Bairbre de Brún visitedBatasuna leader, inMartutene Prison

German MEP Helmut Markov and Eusebio Lasa

MEP Helmut Markov believes that dialogue with Batasuna is unavoidable (25-11-07)THE GERMAN MEP, WHO VISITED OTEGI YESTERDAY, BELIEVES THAT THE PEACE PROCESS IS UNVIABLE WITH THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE IN PRISON

OTHER INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES PROMOTING PEACE IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 25

Declaration:

Looking the new political situation created in Euskal Herria/Basque Country and taking in account mainly:• The will to open an oficial contact line bettwen the basque organization ETA and the Spanish Government.• The statement of Spanish President Mr. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero committing to respect any decisiontaken by the basque people exclusively through democratic ways and legal procedures.• The intense activity promoted by the basque political forces, trade unions and social movements.

1.- We consider very positive the recent initiatives taken to overcome the ongoing political confrontation andthe opening of a process of mutual recognition and civic compromise consequence of the hard work anddemocratic commitment expressed by both sides the basque and Spanish one.

2.- We welcome this new phase, in wich words are beginning to triumph over silence and the bedlam ofinjustice and thus facilitate dialogue and negotiation. This is the only way to resolve political problems andlay foundation for a true Peace, based both on mutual recognition and agreement between the parties andon the universal rights of democracy.

3.- We encourage and exhort all the parties concerned, in complete absence of violence form both sides, tojoin us in pursuing tirelessly the hard but rewarding journey to wich we have committed ourselves, soothingthe ancient wounds of the long conflict with the balm of responsible politics and using our determinationand the precepts of democracy to eradicate for ever the causes and effects of the conflict.

4.- Finally we declare our readiness to support, in every way that is humanly possible, any process that leadsto the attainment of Peace and we commit ourselves, form this day on, to promote all initiatives whose objec-tive is to achieve that result by democratic means.

october, 2006

Signatories

Francesco Cossiga (born July 26, 1928) is an Italian politician former Home Affairs Minister, formerPresident of the Minister Council, former President of the Senate and former President of the ItalianRepublic. He is now President Emeritus of the Italian Republic, and lifetime senator of the Italian Republic. Mário Alberto Nobre Lopes Soares (born December 7, 1924), Portuguese politician, was born in Lisbon, andgraduated in history, philosophy and law from the University of Lisbon. Former Secretary General of thePortuguese Socialist Party, former Minister for Overseas negotiations, former Prime Minister and Presidentof Portugal.Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas (born 1 May 1934) is a prominent Mexican politician. He is a former governor ofMichoacán, former Head of Government of the Federal District and a founder of the Party of the DemocraticRevolution (PRD). He is also Vicepresident of the Socialist InternationalAdolfo Pérez Esquivel (born November 26, 1931 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) human rights activist was therecipient of the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize. Gerry Adams MP, MLA, President of Sinn Féin and leading member of the Irish peace process.Kgalema Motlanthe, (born in 1949) South African Political Activist & ANC Secretary-General.

INTERNATIONAL DECLARATION ON SUPORT OF THE BASQUE PROCESSIn October 2006 prominent international leades promoted a declaration suporting a peace process in the Basque Country

26 FS NOVEMBER 2008

On the 1st of October 2007 the Network of EuropeanFoundations, promoted a group of internationalexperts, with the task of looking for possibilities of res-toring a peace process in the Basque Country.

Those international experts are:

- Roelf Meyer: born in 1947 in Porth Elizabeth is aSouth African politician. Minister of Defence in 1991,he became Minister of constitutional Affairs and ofCommunication in 1992. In 1993 he was appointed aschief negotiator in the Multiparty Negotiating Forum in1993. After the conclusion of the negotiations inNovember 1993, he became the government’s chiefrepresentative in the Transitional Executive Council(TEC). After the Free Elections in April 1994, RoelfMeyer became Minister of Constitutional Developmentand Provincial Affairs in the government of nationalunity of the new president, Nelson Mandela.

- Brian Currin: Born in 1950, he is a south Africanlawyer. In 1994 he was appointed by South Africa pre-sident Nelson Mandela to chair a Prison AuditCommittee and was subsequently involved in the crea-tion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Hehas worked in Sri Lanka, Rwanda and the Middle Easton political transformation. Mr Currin has co-chair theSentence Review Commission in Northern Ireland.

- Raymond Kendall: Born in 1933, is a British lawenforcement officer and former Interpol Secretary-General. Chairman of the supervisory committee ofthe European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) from 2001 until2005

- Nuala O’Loan: Born in 1951, is a noted public figurein Northern Ireland. She was the first PoliceOmbudsman in Northern Ireland between 1999 and2007.

International Initiative for

Peace and Dialogue in

Basque Country

FRIENDSHIP IN THE MEDIAS

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 27

The Friendship was createdafter the representatives theTable for Agreement workedtogether in Brussels with themembers of the EuropeanParliament. Why did you jointo that project?

Outside the concerned coun-tries there is not a lot ofpublic information or politicalaction about the Basqueconflict. But this is a conflict within the EU and sothere should be awareness and commitment to italso in the European institutions. And anyway, tofind peaceful, democratic and widely acceptedconflict resolution is always very important.

People of 12 countries have joined with the inten-tion of supporting the peace process in theBasque Country. Has it been easy?

As I said, the awareness of the Basque case out-side the concerned territories is quite low. But stillthere are people from different political partieswho consider it very important. And with the helpof Basque activists the establishment of this groupwas not that difficult. It is the real work that willrequire initiative and energy.

How is the Friendship organized? How many peo-ple will meet, how often, and which is your wor-king field? You say you want to take an active partin the process of resolution of the conflict affec-ting the Basque Country. How will you take activepart?

This informal working group was established by 11Members of the European Parliament comingfrom different political groups. We will meet onceevery month. We are an open group and we hopemore people will join us and share their opinionsand experience with us.What we can try to do is to raise public awarenesson the Basque case and to campaign for the peaceprocess by inviting representatives of civil societyand talking to the heads of the political fractions inthe European Parliament. This means to provideand to distribute information and to offer a plat-form where people can openly discuss andexchange their points of view.

The peace process is not yet. In your opinion,which are the keys to start the peace process inthe Basque Country? And in your opinion, what should French, Spanishand Basque political agents (parties, associationsand government) make to get those keys?

First and foremost there mustbe willingness to mutually res-pect opinions and fears on allsides. The actual problemshave to be singled out andthere must be found a way howto discuss them and how toinvolve all concerned people.Apart from that a sustainablesolution will only be possibleby acknowledging individualand collective rights of all peo-

ple in the Basque territories, by recognisingBasque as a political subject and by consultationand participation of all Basque people about deci-sions on their future.

Last week, the Spanish National Court bannedBatasuna make its national congress, and deci-ded to suspend Batasuna´s activities two yearsmore (Batasuna´s activities have been suspen-ded for three years). Thousands people made ademonstration last Saturday next to the buildingBatasuna wanted to use to make its congress toprotest against that decision and to defend civiland political rights. Did you know that? What'syour opinion about it?

The banning of a political party that represents animportant part of society is not a good idea in mypoint of view. This is not only a question of demo-cracy. But for example, the Irish peace processwould not have been possible without the Sinn Féinparty. With whom shall a government negotiate ona peaceful conflict resolution if not with politicalrepresentatives of the Basque people?

In your opinion, is it important the presence ofinternational observers in Basque conflict?

I think the European Commission should act as amediator. And the European Parliament couldassist by monitoring the Basque case. I hope, ourgroup will be able to support this.

You have created a Friendship. Was it welcomedin your party?

The participation in this friendship group is notbased on any party. In the contrary: Some MEPsfrom different parties and different countries sim-ply found that this is the right time to start to sup-port the beginning peace process, independentlyfrom any ideological differences on many otherpolitical issues.

All groups that are able and willing to contribute tothe peace process are very welcomed to do so.

(INTERVIEW ON BERRIA DAILY NEWSPAPER)

Helmuth MarkovWith whom shall a

government negotiateon a peaceful conflictresolution if not with

political representativesof the Basque people?

Bairbre de Brún

FRIENDSHIP IN THE MEDIAS

28 FS NOVEMBER 2008

What was it like the situation created by ETA’scease-fire in the European Parliament? Whatkind of reactions did you notice?

It was a positive reaction. At midday, everyone tal-ked about it in the corridors, and in the beginning ofthe afternoon parliament session, the president ofthe Chamber informed us, and several MEPs talkedto welcome ETA’s announcement, and to wish theprogress of the process. It was interesting to hearall the opinions but, personally, I was very interes-ted in the point of view of the Spanish MEPs, as theattitude of the opposition with the socialistGovernment will be very important, as important asPSOE’s attitude when it was the opposition. Exceptfor the PP, which gave a negative opinion, every-thing was positive. In this kind of processes, the jointwork of all the political forces, including the opposi-tion, is important in order to make the process pro-gress. The competitiveness among the parties mustnot become an obstacle for the process.

For the Friendship, does that favour a leap in itswork? Do you see the option to reach, for exam-ple, the European socialist and popular parties?

We must emphasize the significance of ETA’sannouncement and the international impact it hashad. The Friendship exists to help this kind of pro-cesses in Euskal Herria, and the progress of thisprocess will open new chances of work for theFriendship too. This week, both co-presidents ofthe work group gave a press conference, andstressed their need and interest to contact the pre-sidents of all the groups of the EuropeanParliament. They hope the MEPs from othergroups will join too.

Is Europe really aware of the fact that this is the

last armed conflict in its territory?

The resolution process of the conflict has anessential significance for the European Union. Ithas been proved that it can help in this kind ofconflicts and that peace and stability in a part ofthe European Union contributes to the peace andthe stability in the whole Union. It is important, notonly for the conflicted areas or those getting out ofit, like Euskal Herria or Ireland, but also for theexpansion of the European Union.

The key to the solution is in the right of theBasque people to decide. From your experience,how did you convince the London Governmentthat the Irish had to decide? How did you get it tosign the Downing Street Declaration?

A peace process is never the same in two differentcountries, but there are international principles ofresolution that are very important for all the cases.One of them is that it has to be considered as apolitical problem, not a security problem. InIreland, the time arrived when the British and theIrish governments showed they were going to acti-vate political structures, in order to provide theIrish with possibilities of progress, and showedtheir willingness to transfer the power and thepolitical centre of gravity from Great Britain toIreland. But we must say that the policy of theBritish Government has not developed the logic ofsuch path until the end as, when David Trimble’sUnionist Party had internal difficulties to developits work within the institutions, specifically in theGovernment of the Northern Assembly, instead ofallowing the natural development of the processand, therefore, allowing to hold new elections, theBritish Government took the political power again.And that has harmed seriously the Irish process

“ETA took the initiative. Now, Zapatero must ensure a peace process”

Four hours before participating in an impressive demonstration in Bilbao, Sinn Fein MEP Bairbre deBrún talked to the media. She already emphasized the value of mobilising for the process and of activa-ting debates within society, in order for the decisions to be shared. She also emphasizes that it isZapatero’s turn now: ‘The important thing is not what he has already done, but what he is about to donow’.

Born in Dublin in 1954, Bairbre de Brún has been chief of the International Department of the Sinn Feinsince 1994, and negotiator of the party since 1997. After the Good Friday Agreement, she became minis-ter of Health in the Assembly of North Ireland. Now, she is a MEP and member of the Support Group forthe resolution process in Euskal Herria (Friendship). Because of this circunstance and of her knowledgeof the Irish case, she is a highly authorised person to assess the situation in Euskal Herria, after ETA’spermanent cease-fire. She was in Bilbao on Saturday, and she attended the demonstration.

INTERVIEW IN GARA, 4TH APRIL 2006

FRIENDSHIP IN THE MEDIAS

NOVEMBER 2008 FS 29

during the last years. One ofthe most significant issuesthat are being discussednow with the BritishGovernment in order tomake the process move for-ward is not to act that way inthe future.

In the Irish case, IRA’scease-fire was after theDowning Street Declara-tion; in Euskal Herria, ETAtook the initiative when theright of the Basque peopleto decide has not beenrecognised yet. What could be the consequences?

The wish of the citizens to have guaranteesbefore the political agents take important initia-tives is natural. In the case of conflicted coun-tries, the experience of the citizens makes themmistrust the future events, if there are no gua-rantees. But, in some times of history, a politicalagent must take the initiative, in order to mobi-lise the rest of the actors, in order to ensure theachievement of a new scenario. It is difficult, butvery important. In the Irish case, often, it was therepublicans who took the initiative wheneverthere was a blocking situation, in order to providethe other actors with the possibility to act and,sometimes, to underestimate the excuses ofthose other actors, not to solve the conflict in apositive way.

The important thing is not what Zapatero or Blairhave done up to now, but what they could and mustdo from now on, in order to ensure, in Zapatero’scase, a peace process in Euskal Herria. The initia-tive has been taken, and the important thing now iswhat the Spanish Government has to do, in orderto avoid the frustration of the hopes of the Basque,the Spanish and the French people for a betterfuture.

How important is the social mobilisation for itsright to decide? What happened in Ireland?

Social mobilisation is very important, as the rightto decide is not for a sector but for the wholeBasque population. One of the greatest problemsof the colonisation is the lack of hope and thedemobilisation of a part of the citizens. Peoplemust get involved, not only in the street mobilisa-tions, which are very important, but also in thedebate about their future possibilities. In Ireland,we saw that, as soon as the process activated, agreat explosion happened within the social move-ments. In Ireland, the great street mobilisation toask non-exclusive negotiations and the right todecide, among others, have been very important,but the development of sectorial debates withinsociety are very important too, in order for peopleto be able to share both the decision and the visionof the path of the process, and how it is progres-sing.

Many people mention the need to create mutualtrust among the agents. From your experience,how can we achieve that?

Inclusive negotiations. Thefact that the agenda wasopen, including all the pointsof view, was very important.It is true that there was aninitial mistrust and, there-fore, the presence of inter-national actors was impor-tant too. This is not the samein all the negotiations but, inour case, there was an inter-national secretariat. For us,it was also important to seethe positive responses to thesuggested issues from allthe participants and, spe-

cially, from the British Government. The way tocreate awareness, to make all the parties tend tosolve problems, so it contributes to the very deve-lopment of the process, is to avoid any problem,any objective, become an insuperable obstacle forthe process.

Within this framework, how do you asses ArnaldoOtegi’s imprisonment? Would a solution processin Ireland been possible with Gerry Adams in pri-son?

As I said before, I think a positive reactiontowards the historical initiative taken by ETA isvery important, as it has created a positivemoment to develop a stable peace process. Theremaining political agents and, specifically, theSpanish Government, have the great responsibi-lity to act so they help to develop that initiativeand those open possibilities. I think that ArnaldoOtegi’s imprisonment might have a very negativeeffect, just the opposite to what must be done.The Spanish Government must do everything todevelop a stable peace process and to not hinderit. The imprisonment of Batasuna’s leaders, theobstacles to political prisoners and the crimina-lisation policy might endanger the developmentof the peace process that everyone wants to seeprogress. Therefore, the public opinion does notunderstand Arnaldo Otegi’s imprisonment, as itwould have not understood Gerry Adams’ impri-sonment in Ireland.

People perceive that the European Union willalways protect the interests of the already crea-ted states opposite to the countries with no state.Is it really that way?

It is true that the European Union works to main-tain the member states as they are, and to avoidthe modification of the frontiers. But, historically,the European Union has also promoted equalityand dialogue as a way to move politics forward.Therefore, I believe it might help to develop peo-ple’s ability to participate in the political debateand to develop politics, not only within the currentstates and governments. In the last Sinn Fein ArdFheis (National Convention), a document for dis-cussion was presented on how the EuropeanUnion can help to develop a united Ireland. Wediscussed how the European Union can facilitatethe resolution of the Irish conflict and the deve-lopment of a united Ireland, within the currentframework.

The imprisonment ofBatasuna’s leaders, the

obstacles to political pri-soners and the criminali-

sation policy mightendanger the develop-ment of the peace pro-

cess that everyone wantsto see progress.

FRIENDSHIP IN THE MEDIAS

30 FS NOVEMBER 2008

On 23rd January, togetherwith other MEPs, you crea-ted a support Group for theBasque peace process,which will be devoted to findthe eagerly awaited politicalsolution of the Basqueconflict. Why did you takethis initiative?

Several times, emissaries from the Commissionwho were looking for a solution to the Basqueconflict (1), and who had the support of most of thetrade unions, associations and political parties inboth Northern and Southern Euskal Herria, explai-ned to us the situation and their eagerness tolaunch a ‘process, similar to the one in NorthernIreland’, so the people who usually use guns, willleave them to participate in a political process thatwill not exclude anyone. The same way theEuropean Union supported the peace process inNorthern Ireland, they requested us to createsome kind of external observatory of the Basquepeace process, so it does not come to a halt in anexclusive relationship among Paris, Madrid andBilbao.

In that regard, we all insisted on the fact that it isnot about legitimating past, present or future vio-lence. The political thinking of a green MEP ismainly based on the rejection of all kinds of vio-lence. Sometimes, violence can be explained, but itis never allowed. I insist on that issue becausethose who do not want the end of a peace processuse blood shed to distort any new perspective ofthe debate. And it works wonderfully. Just sayingthat all the attempts to find a solution in the pastdecades have failed and that, therefore, we mustfind a way to solve the conflict calmly, through dia-logue, with as many people as possible, and withthe rejection of violence, represents the validity ofthe past murders and the support to violence forsome people. It is intellectually unbearable.

Has that been the reaction of any of your counter-parts?

The same day we held the first meeting of the sup-port group, on our way out, there already wereSpanish right-wing MEPs with whom I always got

on well attacking me. Thisstory not only has a politicalside, but it also has an emo-tional side, in the dramaticsense of the word. As longas we don’t overcome thatstage, we will not be able tosolve anything. However, theonly objective of this initia-tive is to help create a space

for dialogue: we are talking about the need for anagreement among political parties, trade unionsand associations, with the approval of the Basquepeople. Nevertheless, we do not predetermine thecontent of the agreement. We are not the ones whohave to pronounce it in Brussels. However, sincethe beginning, European construction was basedon the idea of overcoming conflicts through dialo-gue.

What could be the role of the EuropeanParliament in this peace process?

In the first place, it might unblock the debate.Scores of MEPs attended our press conference,last 23rd January. Among them, there wereGerman MEPs who, as far as I know, are notdirectly involved with the Basque territory. It couldalso put the situation back on the right track, incase any participant slipped somehow. Finally, ifthe process comes to a halt, it might help by sprea-ding some messages.

With my participation, I sent a political sign, as Iam a vice-president of the Parliament, even ifwithin this framework I only act as a green MEPwho believes in dialogue, in the peace in the nor-thern territory of Euskal Herria. This is a ‘trans-group’ initiative that gathers all the Parliamentgroups, except for two of the most important: thesocialist group, which does not seem hostile, andthe popular group, whose members (some ofthem) are very aggressive. However, they arepaying attention: there has not been any deathsince the beginning of 2003, and we know for a factthat the Spanish president, Jose Luis Zapatero, isready to make things move forward if there is aclear truce. For that very reason, the Spanish pressand the right-wing accuse him of having acceptedthe word ‘nation’ in the new Catalan statute, in

EUSKAL HERRIA: ‘OVERCOMING THE CONFLICT THROUGH DIALOGUE’BY DANTE SANJURIO - POLITIS, THURSDAY, 2ND FEBRUARY 2006

Gérard Onesta, MEP for the European Greens and vice-president of the European Parliament, participa-ted in the creation of a support group for the Basque peace process. The European involvement in anegotiated solution is a novelty.

Gérard Onesta

The same way theEuropean Union

supported the peace process in Northern

Ireland

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NOVEMBER 2008 FS 31

order to create a precedent that will drive ETA toput down the guns.

If the process moves forward and the members ofBatasuna declare that they are ready to quit vio-lence, then, one hundred MEPs will be able to joinus. Look what happened last 21st January inEuskal Herria: during a pro-independence mee-ting, Arnaldo Otegi, one of the most importantmembers of Batasuna, said that ‘the peace pro-cess (was) irreversible’. I think something is goingon here. But it is something delicate. There willsurely be provocations between both parts. Thedefenders of strict Jacobin ideas, in Madrid or inParis, do not want a peace process that might leadus to additional autonomy margins.

The statement of the group talks about the indivi-dual and collective rights of the Basque people,under the Spanish and the French administra-tions. The Basque question raises the problemregarding the place of the countries with no statein Europe. How could that be solved?

For the time being, Europe is essentially a juxtapo-sition of 25 nation states. The Council has almostall the powers, and considering that the situationof the Constitution (regardless of what the sidesthink about the approval or the refusal next 29thMay), the decision is taken unanimously. Will thenation states sacrifice their powers spontaneouslyin the following years, in order to make new cen-tres of decision making appear? I do not believe it.However, regarding the European process, I amcompletely sure that the model of nation state thathas undoubtedly helped to overcome some latefeudalisms to participate in the republican or othermechanisms has reached its limit. Specially, in theXXth century, which is remembered for the vio-lence among the nation states. The European pro-cess favours the upwards overcoming of the Nationstates, as they recognise that they can not facealone the problems of globalisation. We need widersolidarity spaces. At the same time, the citizenswill never accept to delegate power to a furtherorganisation, like Brussels, if there is not a reinfor-cement of the closer powers at the same time.That will favour the downwards overcoming of thenation states. That is why I am a federalist. If weachieve diversity without union, that involves thejuxtaposition of egoisms, and only leads us toconflicts; if we put everything in common, but wedo not combine diversity, many of the main empi-res will end up falling, gene-rally, surrounded by blood.

How can this kind of systembe institutionally establi-shed?

It is very easy: with a two-chamber system. One of thechambers could representthe strength of the union,for example: the EuropeanParliament, which couldonly have 200 or 300 MEPs,instead of the 732 elected inthe transnational lists, notby districts, but by their

European project, whether it is socialist, conserva-tive, sovereigntist or ecologist. The winner listcould be headed by the president of theCommission, and not by any third string like MrBarroso, who we see appear after the elections,even if no one has heard of him during the cam-paign. We also need a chamber called EuropeanSenate, which represents the strength of diversity.This one already exists in several places and sha-pes like the European Council, on the level ofgovernments, the Committee of Regions, theCOSAC (2) for the national Parliaments, etc. Intwenty or thirty years, maybe before, we will havealready assumed that two-chamber federal sys-tem, as the weakening process of the nation statesis a historical process. 75 % of the work of theFrench MEPs consists on refuting the decisionstaken in Brussels or Strasbourg.

Those who deny that the nation states are beingovercome upwards and must be overcome down-wards are confusing the historical era. British peo-ple already understand it: they have gone fromhaving just one Parliament to have four, withoutdissolving the Crown. Germany wants to negotiatethe concession of powers for federal states withinthe framework of the future EuropeanConstitution. Finland was afraid of transferringpower to the Sami people, they were afraid theywould sell themselves to the Russians. Since theydid it, there has not been more Finnish and pro-European people than the Samis. As soon as peo-ple are granted their rights, divisions and egoismdecrease. There could be a French devolution, andthe Basque and the Corsican problem could besolved, among others. The problem of France isthe lack of renovation of its political class. The cur-rent people in charge take their example from peo-ple from other times.

When we talk about the Basque situation, it is allrelated to a background. It is not only about kno-wing if violence is needed or not. It is about joininga historical process of overcoming the nations-sta-tes. Likewise, a European continental bloc will notbe able to offer another model of society if it isfocused the way nations-states are. Therefore, theconflicts of the XXIst century would be like the onesin the past century, and would put continentalblocs, instead of state nations. I think Europe has anew model to offer to the XXIst century: the modelof unity to respect diversity.

A work group that devotesitself to activate a peaceprocess through dialogueand gathers, personally,members of parties, tradeunions, and nationalist ornon-nationalist associationsthat condemn violence ornot (Socialist Party, BasqueNationalist Party,Batasuna...).

See www.konponbidea.info

Statements by Dante Sanjurio

Therefore, the conflicts ofthe XXIst century wouldbe like the ones in the

past century, and wouldput continental blocs, ins-

tead of state nations. Ithink Europe has a new

model to offer to the XXIstcentury: the model of

unity to respect diversity.

www.basquefriendship.eu