ETA announce 'permanent, general and verifiable' ceasefire

On Monday, ETA declared, via a statement released by Basque daily Gara, a permanent, general and internationally verifiable ceasefire as part of its "firm commitment" to "a lasting resolution and an end to the armed conflict".

In the statement, ETA declares that it is now "time to act with historic responsibility". As such, it "calls upon those governing Spain and France to end all repressive measures and leave aside once and for all their position of denial towards the Basque Country".

Furthermore, the armed group concludes that it "will continue its indefatigable struggle and efforts to promote and bring to a conclusion the democratic process until there is a truly democratic situation in the Basque Country".

Previously in the same statement, ETA refers to the Brussels and Gernika declarations and stressed that "figures of great international significance and many Basque social and political activists" have stressed the need for "a just and democratic solution to the centuries-old Basque conflict".