SPAIN: ETA ATTACKS AFTER ZAPATERO PROPOSES PEACE

UNCLAS MADRID 001859 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO EUR/WE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PGOV SP SUBJECT: SPAIN: ETA ATTACKS AFTER ZAPATERO PROPOSES PEACE TALKS ¶1. On May 15, four small bombs, each containing approximately four pounds of explosives, exploded in the Basque region of Spain, The bombings, attributed to the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorist group, took place near four industrial centers in the Guipuzcoa region of the Basque country, prompting some experts to speculate that the bombs were related to the "revolutionary tax" that ETA extorts from Basque businesses. These attacks were unusual in that ETA did not follow the organization's recent practice of providing advance warning of bombings. There were no fatalities, though several individuals were reportedly affected by fumes released from containers damaged by one of the blasts. ¶2. These bombings come just days after the Zapatero government's May 13 request for Parliamentary support for direct peace talks between the government and ETA if the terrorist group agrees to abandon the armed struggle. Several political parties, including the moderate Basque Nationalist Party (PNV),have announced that they will support Zapatero's initiative during a May 17 Parliamentary debate on the issue. Only the Popular Party (PP) has directly attacked the proposal, denouncing it as dangerous and likely to encourage ETA to demonstrate that it remains a viable military force. PP leader Mariano Rajoy suggested that the talks would violate the anti-terrorism pact entered into between the PP and the Socialists during the Aznar government, and could signal the end of the accord. Embassy will report septel on the results of the May 17 debate and on the implications for the future of Socialist-PP cooperation against terrorism. //COMMENT// ¶3. The lack of advance communication of the bombings could indicate a breakdown in ETA discipline in the wake of numerous recent arrests, but, given the commercial targets, could also be a stern sign by the terrorists that they intend to continue enforcing their extortion of Basque businesses. Despite the attacks, Zapatero continues to have the support of all political parties except the PP on his proposal to open talks with ETA provided it abandon armed conflict. NEALON