ETA, the armed Basque separatist group, announced yesterday that it would continue its ceasefire but fixed conditions for opening direct talks with the conservative government of the Spanish Prime Minister, Mr Jose Maria Aznar.
In yesterday's statement, ETA said the September 16th ceasefire remained in force "under the same conditions", namely the goal of "sovereignty" for the Franco-Spanish border region, the scene of separatist conflict for 30 years.
However, it added that the ceasefire would only become permanent if there was rapid progress on the peace process. Among the conditions are the right to self-determination and a withdrawal of national military and police from the region.
The statement comes two days after Mr Aznar's surprise decision to open contact between the government and the ETA "entourage" to explore the separatists' "real desire for peace". Political parties generally welcomed ETA's communique, while regretting the lack of a permanent ceasefire.