Monitors raise ETA disarmament hopes in Spain

Hopes have risen for the disarmament of western Europe's last major violent separatist group, the Basque movement ETA, with an announcement expected on Friday by international experts seeking a settlement. ETA is blamed for the deaths of 829 people in a four-decade campaign of shootings and bombings for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southwestern France.It has so far refused to disarm or disband, but said this month it plans to make "significant contributions" towards a lasting settlement -- widely seen as meaning a step towards disarmament.The International Verification Commission of five foreign statesmen and experts plans to meet with local leaders and make an announcement to the media at 2:00pm (1300 GMT) on Friday in the Basque city of Bilbao.A commission spokesman said it would give a "very significant and positive" message, "to do with the next step in the issue of peace".The Basque conservative regional government "hopes that the new announcements this weekend will be serious and trustworthy", said its secretary general for peace, Jonan Fernandez.Any announcements must "represent firm deeds with a view to the disarmament and disbandment of ETA", he said.Classed as a terrorist group by the United States and European Union, ETA has been weakened over recent years by the arrests of its senior leaders in Spain and France. Only about 30 of its active members are thought to be still at large.In October 2011 it announced a "definitive end to armed activity" but refused to formally disarm and disband as the Spanish and French governments demand.Meanwhile, non-violent leftist Basque nationalist parties have gained political influence and increasing power through regional elections.Over recent months ETA members have raised sensitivities in Spain by trying to gain concessions from the Spanish government over prison conditions.But the Spanish and French governments refuse to negotiate with ETA and Spain does not recognise the verification commission.They have ignored ETA's request to negotiate its disbandment on conditions such as transferring prisoners to jails closer to home.Hopes of progress were raised however on January 11 when rival Basque political parties joined together in a demonstration supporting that demand.Then on February 7 ETA  promised "significant contributions" towards a settlement "without delay". "These are all little steps and I think that soon they will take another step, perhaps a more important one," said Gorka Landaburu, a specialist in Basque affairs.Specialists say the new announcement could give details of the locations of ETA arms caches -- most of which are thought to be in France -- or that ETA could at least promise to do so."They won't be talking about disbanding yet," Landaburu added.