ETA'S FULL STATEMENT

“ETA –Euskadi Ta Askatasuna– the Basque, Socialist, Revolutionary Organisation for
National Liberation, hereby wishes to inform Basque citizens about its decision.
ETA has decided to implement a permanent cessation of its armed activities as from
00.00 hours on March 24, 2006.

ETA’s Reflection

ETA’s decision is aimed at boosting the democratic process that needs to take place in the Basque Country, so that the political change needed by our people can be brought about through dialogue, negotiation and agreement.
A democratic framework needs to be built for the Basque Country by going beyond the
current framework of imposition, division and denial, so that our rights as a people can be recognised and all political options can be made possible in the future.
Within this democratic process it will have to be left up to Basque citizens to have the final say and to decide about their own future, so that the conflict can be resolved democratically.

In ETA’s view, it is up to all the Basque players to further the process and to reach
agreement on the Basque Country’s future, taking the whole of the Basque Country and
its diversity into consideration.

It is up to the Spanish and French States to respect the results of the democratic debate on the Basque Country without any interference or limitations, and to accept what Basque citizens decide about their future.

ETA’s Appeal

We issue an appeal to all players to act in a way that is both responsible and
commensurate with the steps taken by ETA.
The time has come for all of us to express our wishes. All of us players have to make a firm, responsible commitment aimed at building the democratic solution the Basque Country needs. This is the moment to take bold steps and far-reaching decisions, to move from words to deeds.
We call on the Spanish and French authorities to respond in a positive way to this new situation and to remove the obstacles or limitations in the way of the democratic
process, by ceasing their repression and attitude of denial, and by displaying a
willingness to resolve the conflict through negotiation.

We call on the wider Basque public, and on the members of the Basque nationalist left
in particular, to become fully involved in the process and to fight for our rights as a people.

ETA’s Commitment

ETA’s wish is that the process begun should be concluded satisfactorily and that a
genuine democratic situation should be achieved in the Basque Country by overcoming
the conflict that has been going on for many years, and by building peace based on
justice. From now onwards we confirm our commitment towards taking further steps in
line with this wish and towards continuing the struggle until the Basque Country’s
rights have been achieved.

The conflict can be resolved here and now. That is ETA’s wish.

Long Live a Free Basque Country!
Long Live a Socialist Basque Country!
For independence and socialism!

Issued in the Basque Country in March 2006.”