SPAIN: The Basque peace process has suffered its first major hitch after Spain's opposition Popular Party announced it was breaking off relations with the government.
The opposition is furious that the Basque Socialist Party was planning to meet Arnaldo Otegi, leader of the banned Batasuna party and Eta's political front, to discuss the peace process.
It is just over two months since Eta declared a "permanent" ceasefire - and three years since their last killing. Many Spaniards were optimistic that the country was finally on the way to a peaceful settlement in a conflict that has cost more than 800 lives in almost 40 years of bloodshed.
When prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero took office in March 2004 he pledged to work for peace. A year ago he held out an olive branch to Eta by offering to negotiate if it agreed to lay down its arms and renounce violence. He called on all political parties to co-operate with the Socialists to allow them end the conflict.
The ceasefire declaration came in March this year, but so far Eta has not condemned terrorist violence, nor has it decommissioned any arms. This is a pre-requisite demanded by Popular Party before it agrees to support the government. Mr Zapatero has always warned against being over optimistic. He said a year ago that the path to peace would be "long, difficult and arduous", and this week's development is just the first stone along this rocky road.
There were angry scenes in congress on Tuesday and again in the senate yesterday when Popular Party attacked the government. The leader of the opposition, Mariano Rajoy, described as "ignominious" the Basque Socialist Party's proposal to meet Mr Otegi.
"This is a de facto legalisation of Batasuna and its recognition as a valid interlocutor," he said.
Mr Zapatero reminded Popular Party that in 1998 they themselves had held talks with Eta and Batasuna even though there had been no laying down of arms - although a truce had been called - and that Mr Aznar's Popular Party government had given in to Eta demands by transferring prisoners to jails near their homes.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was in Spain this week meeting Mr Otegi and other Basque leaders in Bilbao and later addressed a conference in Madrid. He said he had found the mood in the Basque country positive and praised the Basque Socialist Party's "courageous initiative".