Basque group ETA gives up violence

The video showed the statement being read by a masked and hooded man,and intermediaries with access to ETA identified the men as members of the groups General Command.

The announcement was choreographed to follow an appeal by a group of peace negotiators who met in San Sebastian on Monday. Those negotiators,who included Kofi Annan,the former secretary general of the UN,and Gerry Adams,leader of Irish nationalist group Sinn Fein,said it is time to end,and possible to end,the last armed confrontation in Europe.

Although the announcement met longstanding demands from the Spanish and French governments,the UN and human rights groups for an end to the violence that has characterised the militants struggle,it appeared to fall short of guaranteeing that the armed struggle would never resume. The ETA statement,far from renouncing the groups goal of independence,reasserted it emphatically,with the commanders joining with traditional ETA rallying cries reaffirming their demands for freedom. The fight for independence goes on! they cried. JOHN F BURNS