Following successful elections in the Basque Country at the end of October – the first to take place without violence by ETA – the time has come for the parties to work together to drive the peace process forward.

The problem the Basque peace process faces is that the Spanish government will not change its strategy until ETA declares its dissolution, whilst ETA is not prepared to take steps towards its disarmament and until contact takes place with the government; thereby creating an obstacle to the consolidation of peace.

It is time for the local, regional and state-wide political leadership to recognise the maturity of local civil society and afford it a lead-role in the resolution of the Basque conflict and all aspects that surround it – such as the issue of prisoners, the victims of terrorism, political legitimacy and even the right to repentance.

The Spanish government should immediately establish contacts with ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna); not because it owes ETA anything, but because Basque society wants the irreversibility of the end of violence to be guaranteed through the disarmament and dismantling of ETA’s structures.