Press statement, 30th May 2012

The International Contact Group met on 28th and 29th May to review events during the seven months since the International Conference in San Sebastian in October 2011 and progress on the road map presented in the Aiete Declaration.

Regarding the first point in that Declaration, the call to ”ETA to make a public declaration of the definitive cessation of all armed action”, the ICG notes that:

– There was a prompt response in terms of a public declaration by Eta on October 20th.

– The IVC has reported on the continuing cessation of violence.

– The Basque Government has said that all information available confirms that ETA has abandoned all terrorist activities.

As regards point 2 of the Aiete Declaration, urging the governments of Spain and France to welcome it and agree to talks exclusively to deal with the consequences of the conflict:

The ICG wishes to stress that these talks are intended to be focused exclusively on the consequences of violence rather than on political discussions. The group recognizes the need for a state to cooperate in relation to antiterrorist activity but there is an important opportunity to be seized to putting arms out of the coexistence in the Basque Country.

And therefore the ICG urges the governments of Spain and France to engage with ETA on this specific matter which is in the general public interest.

In relation to point 3 of the Declaration “major steps to promote reconciliation” the ICG notes the recent initiative taken by the Basque government to organize a meeting on Memory. We consider that this significant step needs to be continued in an inclusive way in order to create the conditions for lasting peace based upon an open dialogue about the roots of violence and an understanding of the past.

On point 4 of the declaration concerning the need for multiparty dialogue, we note that there is a pre electoral campaign in the Basque Autonomous Community. We trust that political confrontation before the elections will not be allowed to pose obstacles in the way of progress. The period after the elections will be a moment for moving forwards. A member of the ICG met on 29th May with the Parliamentary Commission for peace and coexistence; the IÇG welcomes this opportunity for discussion. We hope they will continue their work making a special effort to facilitate the participation of all social and political sectors.

The ICG remains committed to assist as facilitators in any movement forwards on the road map set out by the international leaders who signed the Aiete Declaration, who continue their interest in the outcomes of this process.

We want to stress the need for inclusivity in terms of all political actors in order for positive steps to be made. We therefore note with concern the delay in resolution of the issue of legalization of SORTU.

The fact that there is a plan set out for the reintegration of prisoners is a step forward. The ICG supports the concept of reintegration of prisoners, a fundamental principle of the European Prison Rules, and reflected in the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the treatment of Prisoners and also in the Spanish Constitution. It is widely accepted in the European common legal space that proximity to home is a cornerstone of prisoner reintegration. Proximity to home is a pre condition for an effective reintegration programme, the further details of which need to be the subject of open discussion.