International declaration on suport of the basque process
Francesco Cossiga (Italia), Mario Soares (Portugal), Gerry Adams (Irlanda), Kgalema Motlante (Hegoafrika), C. Cardenas (Mexiko) A. Pérez Esquivel (Argentina)
Looking the new political situation created in Euskal Herria / Basque Country and taking in account mainly:
• the will to open an oficial contact line bettwen the basque organization ETA and the Spanish Government.
• The statement of Spanish President Mr. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero committing to respect any decision taken by the basque people exclusively through democratic ways and legal procedures.
• The intense activity promoted by the basque political forces, trade unions and social movements.
1.- We consider very positive the recent initiatives taken to overcome the ongoing political confrontation and the opening of a process of mutual recognition and civic compromise consequence of the hard work and democratic commitment expressed by both sides the basque and Spanish one.
2.- We welcome this new phase, in wich words are beginning to triumph over silence and the bedlam of injustice and thus facilitate dialogue and negotiation. This is the only way to resolve political problems and lay foundation for a true Peace, based both on mutual recognition and agreement between the parties and on the universal rights of democracy.
3.- We encourage and exhort all the parties concerned, in complete absence of violence form both sides, to join us in pursuing tirelessly the hard but rewarding journey to wich we have committed ourselves, soothing the ancient wounds of the long conflict with the balm of responsible politics and using our determination and the precepts of democracy to eradicate for ever the causes and effects of the conflict.
4.- Finally we declare our readiness to support, in every way that is humanly possible, any process that leads to the attainment of Peace and we commit ourselves, form this day on, to promote all initiatives whose objective is to achieve that result by democratic means. october, 2006
