Main focus of Monday, September 6, 2010

Eta declares new ceasefire

The Basque underground organisation Eta has declared a ceasefire in a video announcement. The move is meant to allow the Basques to hold a vote on their independence. But the press fears new attacks after a period of respite so long as the weakened terrorist organisation does not lay down its weapons.

La Stampa - Italy

It was predictable that Eta would declare a ceasefire, writes the liberal daily La Stampa, adding that like the ones before it, this truce can't be trusted: "As has been foreseeable for months now, the Basque terrorists of Eta yesterday announced a ceasefire. ... This is the usual appeal to our imagination, but with a twist. This time the terrorists have neither fixed a period for the truce nor have they demanded direct negotiations with the Spanish and French governments, as they did the 16 other times they called a ceasefire. ... The truce comes at a time when Eta is weaker than ever: 800 of its murderers are behind bars and it is leaderless (eight of it leaders were arrested in 2009 alone). The previous ceasefires were used by the terrorists to reorganise for a return to the killing. So it's entirely possible that this is just another ruse." (06/09/2010)

» more information (external link, Italian)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Minorities, » France, » Spain
All available articles from » Gian Antonio Orighi

La Vanguardia - Spain

The liberal daily La Vanguardia reacts sceptically to Eta's video message according to which it no longer plans to carry out "offensive armed actions". It says it is too early to start negotiating with the Basque terrorist organisation: "This is the eleventh time since 1981 that Eta has announced a ceasefire. Each time the group shattered the hopes for dialogue, like in 2006 when it bombed the terminal 4 car park [at Madrid airport] without announcing it explicitly beforehand. ... In its current state of weakness regarding both its rejection by most of Basque society and its possibilities of maintaining a half-way efficient structure, it was clear that sooner or later it would end up renouncing violence, a prerequisite for dialogue. This prerequisite has still not been fulfilled." (06/09/2010)

» full article (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Social movements, » Separatism, » Spain

Berliner Zeitung - Germany

The Basque terrorist organisation Eta is fooling itself if it thinks it can have a say in politics, writes the left-liberal daily Berliner Zeitung: "It doesn't want to recognise that apart from being criminal it is also superfluous. The legitimate business of politics is carried out elsewhere: in the Basque parliament in Vitoria and in the Spanish parliament in Madrid. The Basques send deputies to both to decide over issues concerning the present and the future of the Basque Country. It is presumptuous and absurd for an organisation whose business is murder and blackmail to demand a say in this debate. ... In recent months Spanish and French police have arrested dozens of presumed Etarras, and the organisation is weaker than ever. What Eta does not explain is what it plans to do now; whether it will set conditions on the ceasefire or lay down its weapons for good. That is the sole announcement with which Eta could surprise the world: to declare its own end. But it's as far from taking that step as it ever has been." (06/09/2010)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Separatism, » Spain
All available articles from » Martin Dahms

» To the complete press review of Monday, September 6, 2010