New Basque alliance proposed

Vitoria - The Spanish Basque leader, Mr Juan Jose Ibarretxe, proposed a new political pact between Spanish and French Basques…

Vitoria - The Spanish Basque leader, Mr Juan Jose Ibarretxe, proposed a new political pact between Spanish and French Basques yesterday which would give Basques, as a community, a greater say in their future and a direct role within Europe.

Mr Ibarretxe, who heads the regional Basque government, called for joint political, social and cultural institutions to strengthen relations between Basques in Spain and France, using the "rich and flexible" system that he said allows for such growth within the EU.