Why doesn't the U.N., USA, & Britain force Spain to give the Basques there own independent nation. Is it ok to strip Serbia of 15% of its territory against its will, by force? Why is there a double standard? The Basques should have their own nation way before the Albanians in Kosovo do. The Basques have lived in that region for centuries, and it is there land. Kosovo has always been a part of Serbia, the beginning of its civilization. Most of the demographics of Kosovo changed after World War 2, when a flood of illegal immigrants crossed the border of Albania into Serbian in search of a better life, which with our a doubt they had. Now they want to tear Kosovo away from Serbia by force. Shame on the USA, U.N. & Americas lap dog, Great Britain.

Zlatko Premcev, Macomb , MI USA

Spain has to accept the right of autodermination for Basques. Its a political problem, there have to agree political decisions. Why doesnt Sapin accept that? Its democracy! If they accept that ETA wont have any sense.

They will have to accept some other democratic things such as, the right to free expression, avoid torture, international observers... This is a european political problem. We have to take part!

Steffano, Milano, Italy / Milano

Mikel is absolutely right: democracy does not exist in the Basque Country. In the past three elections only nationalist parties have been able to run in my town, all non-nationalist parties have been threatened to death if they "dared" to run. Obvioulsy, this means that only nationalists vote in my town, as in many other places in the Basque Country. The results is that nationalists get a far greater share of the vote than they should if democracy really existed here.

As for Thomas Catan's argument that the Basque Country opposed Franco during the Civil War, it is simply historically inaccurate. My granfather fought for the Basque and Spanish people against Franco, but the ruling party in the region, the Basque Nationalist Party, surrended because it thoght that it was better to have a right-wing, catholic, and conservative govermnment in Spain rather than a left-wing, liberal one. No surprise if we consider that the Basque Nationalist Party is the most conservative party in Spain.

Jon, Mondragon, Spain

I wish ETA was the only problem in Spanish society today because the Civil Guard and Police are very effective. The most serious problem with the Zapatero Government is that in order to secure his seat at the Moncloa Palace he has struck unholy alliances at every level in Spanish society. Mr. Zapatero's party members and his followers, also within his unholy alliances, are xenophobic and antisemitic to the core and will stop at nothing to prevent even British products like life-saving Glaxo medications from reaching those of us who need it on a daily basis.
Furthermore, Zapatero will stop at nothing, if given the chance, of toppling the only institution that can ensure a unified Spain: The Monarchy.
As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Zapatero has done irreparable damage to Spain and taken her back to the horrors and divisions of the Spanish Civil War and Madrid has again become a nest of intrigues akin to those of the time of WWII.

Andrew, Madrid,

Remember well, english nation, you heroically fought against the monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. And this is what ETA is, a lamentable catalogue of human crime. And what is our aim, the aim of spanish and basque people who believe in democracy, freedom and human rights? victory in spite of all terror, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory, there is no survival, no survival for the spanish democracy, so beautiful, so young...

javier, Bilbao, Spain

To Mr. Iñigo, Arrankudiaga, Basque Country. If you call democracy what we saw in the last weeks elections in the Basque country. God help us all. Spain has long way to go before it can say it is a totally democratic country. It can not allow the disturbances; which the electors had on the polling day, from the left winged movements of the Basque Country. Mr. Zapatero has tried to be Spain’s Tony Blair. Spain is not England and with no doubt Mr. Zapatero is not Mr. Blair.

Nazario, Spain, Spain

It's good to see at long last, The Times, recognizes that easily-led, gullible young men that constitute ETA are indeed terrorists and not nationalists.

ETA's methods of torture, extorsion, maiming and killing can not be seen as justified simply because a sizable minority would consider independence.

Shaun, Ipswich, England

there´s not hope anymore.
after today´s decition ETA will never be in a negotiation position anymore. they will be fight in all fronts: political and policial.
I´M from the Bask Country, Im proud to own to that society, but ETA is a Cancer and we must fight against them.

JESÚS SANZ, ZARZUELA DE JADRAQUE, ESPAÑA

This is likely going to be the end of Zapatero, if the Partido Popular can get its house in order before the elections .It suffers from the opposite of the socialist party's problems:too many bright people fighting for the top as opposed to mediocracy throughout. But infighting nevertheless.

Alfonso Rodrigez de Avila, Salamanca, Spain

Sapin has to accept the right of autodermination for Basques. Its a political problem, there have to agree political decisions. Why doesnt Sapin accept that? Its democracy! If they accept that ETA wont have any sense.

They will have to accept some other democratic things such as, the right to free expression, avoid torture, international observers... This is a european political problem. We have to take part!

Steffano, Milano, Italy / Milano

Zapatero's predecessor and political opponent, Aznar, allied with Bush in the war on terror because that gave him powerful support in dealing with ETA. In doing this, Spain became the only mainland EU country to support the war in Iraq with troops. Three days before the national elections, Al Queda punished Spain by exploding 10 bombs in three train stations, killing hundreds and wounding almost 2000. In the election campaign, Zapatero promised to pull Spanish troops out of Iraq and end Spain's partnership with USA. The bombs went off, the Spaniards decided, and Zapatero won the elections . In other words, terrorism worked. Spain chose to play the terrorists' game.

Now Spain under Zapatero's leadership must make a decision: refuse ETA's demands or give in to them.

mcgorsky, Omaha, NE, USA

I would simply like to ask how this supposed right of self determination works in non-colonial situations. How is it implemented? Who has the right to vote? The hundreds of thousands of exiles ETA has forced to leave the Basque country? Will they be able to vote? Are they not Basque? The Basque country had never existed as one political unit until the XX century. Historically it is a collection of individual provinces, formerly señoríos. Should Alava be forced into seceding from Spain simply because the majority in Guipúzcoa so wish it? Is there a way back from independence? What if five years into it, the Basques discover it is not what they fancied? Why limit self-determination to regions? Why not cities and villages too? Who establishes these limits? Whose are the rules of the game?

Miguel, San Sebastián, Spain

ETA is a separatist group as much as IRA has been... or Al Qaeda a religious tea club for that instance. It is acknowledged as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States and every human rights organization in the world.

British media insistence on calling it a 'separatist' group is an insult for all the victims of terrorism in Spain.

Alfredo Nieto, Madrid, Spain

Dear british friends, what is a terrorist group? Is not ETA one of them? Of course, it is. Why do not you say so?

Mikel, Bilbao, Spain

First of all, i want to ask ETA to desappear, because they are the ONLY violent group acting in what they call the "Basque Country-Spain war". Their main argument is that Spain does also use viloence, which is false. ETA does not represent the basque society, not even the nacionalist part of it. After saying this, i would like to remember Spanish Government that 65-70 per cent of the basque population wants to separate the Basque Counry from Spain, as the last elections show (just a week ago). So if there were democracy in the Basque Country, we would have got independence a long time ago. Obviously, this is not a valid argument to use violence, as ETA says. I think that the only soluion is this one: first of all, ETA must dissapear without ANY condition, and then Spain must listen what PNV(moderate nacionalists) say, since PNV wins eleccions almost everywhere in the Basque Country. And PNV is asking for separate Basque Country from Spain(remember the "plan Ibarretxe").

Iñigo, Arrankudiaga, Basque Country

Does this surprise anyone? Certainly not me! That's what usually happens when you bargain with terrorists and blackmailers - they always want more. Especially if they feel that they can with some more terrorist actions after the appalling weekness shown by Mr. Zapatero's government.

Patricia, Stuttgart, Germany

My congratulations to The Times!!
It was being about time to use the word "terror" when
referring to ETA.
Thank you.

jesus, vitoria, spain

Dear Maria, from your email it seems that thanks to Mr Zapatero the Terror is again in Spain.... How can you be able to say that? Could you please explain to me the differences between the concesions given by the PP and (if any) the concesions given by the PSOE?
"Now after four years they are agin in the institucions..." Would appreciate if you can explain and confirm this statement.
What the world needs is most honest people......

Jesus Zori, Stockton on Tees, UK

It is really surprising that you define ETA in you article as one "Armed Basque Separatist Group". ETA is just a terrorist group and as this, they act.
You British that suffered the terrorist actions of IRA should understand that definition words for those groups are important.
Basque country has never been an independent part of Spain. Basque people have been part of the Spanish history along centuries.
ETA are just terrorist without any reason for its existence in a democratic country.

Francisco, Cartagena, Spain

Please, once again, ETA is a terrorist group. It deserves to be written from the first line. Spain needs all the european support, not conspirational winks as call it "the armed Basque separatist group".

However, good article.

albiac, Cordoba, Spain

When Zapatero first came to power E.T.A. was a spent force. Zapatero was to change all that, and in a most systematic and methodical manner. Absurd? Yes! But that is,unfortunately, the case. His dark and dubious dealings with E.T.A. have boosted them to an all-time high.The question remains; why? Could it have something to do with the 11-M regime change bombings. Whatever the case, the Spanish people will soon be reaping Zapatero´s whirlwind!

Patricia, Zaragoza, Spain

It is not true that the Basque Country, as an entity, opposed Franco during the Civil War. Some Basques opposed, another part of them actually supported him (requetés militiamen for example). The idea of the Civil War as Franco versus Basques is historically untrue. Unless you consider that the only Basques are the independent-minded Basques. Many Basques fought for Franco and many Basques were willing members of Franco´s local, regional and national administrations.

Pedro, Spain,

and what did you expect? i dont support ETA but i can understand the organisation. the only thing they ask is to have democratic conditions here, in basque country.
if there were domecratic conditions and the political prisoners were brought home, im sure ETA would dissapear.
this last elections 180000 peoples right to vote was denied.half of a political party was banned.number me just 1 country in UE where political partys are banned.
we dont live in a democracy.

Mikel, Donostia, Euskal Herria

Two years ago 59.8% of the Basques believed that their right to autodetermination should be recognised (against 24.7% who thought the opposite) in an opinion poll carried out by "El Instituto Opina" in the 'Spanish 'Basque Country'. 70% said they would accept an independent Basque Country if that's what the majority of the Basques wanted. Every year since the return of democracy the Basques have returned a nationalist government to their autonomous region.

Donal Thompson, Madrid, Spain

You forget that before Zapatero become Prime Minister, there was an effective antiterrorist pact betwen the two biggest PP and PSOE. Thanks to it ETA was nearly to be dissapeared. When Zapatero become Prime Minister, he changed the political estrategic path, and left the big consense instead of a personal bet. Spanish people hate those terrorists and their acts, and don´t agree the concesions they have won whit Mr.Zapatero. Now after four years they are agin in the institucions and have acces to the public money.Now we all shall pay for his big mistake. And a lot of people couldn´t live in peace anymore in the Basque Region once again.

Maria, Madrid,

Not a step forward for peace. Unluckily, ETA (as during last december-06 bombs) is making another favour to those who care more about votes and power than about lifes and peace, for those who, at any cost, want to eliminate Mr.Zapatero from Spanish Government. The situation during this ceasefire has not been at all close to a normal democracy: Basque political prisoners still in jails far away from Euskalherria, De Juana in prison due to some articles in local newspapers, ideas forbidden (political parties) not allowing thousands of people to vote in past week elections, etc. I think that all the polititians involved in this process deserve a "salary decrease" because they have not been able to fullfil our peace expectations.

Edu, Bilbao, Basque Country