A top member of Spain's ruling Socialists met today with the leader of Basque separatist party Batasuna for the first time since it was banned.
But the Socialists' leader in the Basque country, Patxi Lopez, told Batasuna's Arnaldo Otegi at today's meeting he must make clear his commitment to peaceful politics before his party can join such discussions.
The meeting was the first time a Socialist official had publicly met Batasuna since it was made illegal.
The meeting in a hotel in the seaside city of San Sebastian was flagged as a key step towards talks to end a 38-year-old conflict which has killed more than 800.
Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has announced peace talks with Eta guerrillas that will focus on issues like disarmament and the future of hundreds of jailed Eta prisoners.
The talks will run in parallel with separate negotiations with political parties in the Basque Country on the region's future relationship with Spain.
Batasuna, banned in 2003 for its Eta links, wants to take part in those negotiations and wants them to decide to hold a referendum on independence.
"They can have their space in politics, but they have to work within the democratic system," Mr Lopez said. "They must move towards politics by distancing themselves from that context of violence."
Mr Otegi said there was a historic opportunity to end a conflict that began in the final years of the Franco dictatorship. "What the Basque people decide has to be completely accepted by everyone," he said.