The Basque separatist group ETA formally ended a 40 year campaign of violence on Wednesday with an announcement of a ceasefire.
In a video statement shown on national television and distributed to the Basque media, ETA said it "has decided to declare a permanent cease fire as of March 24, 2006." The announcement brings a close to one of Western Europe's last active armed separatist movements.The ETA video showed three people wearing Basque berets and face masks seated at a table in front of an ETA flag. "The objective of our decision is to advance the democratic process," the statement said, "in order to construct a new framework that will recognize the rights that we as a people deserve."