BASQUE LEADER CALLS EARLY ELECTIONS AFTER

UNCLAS MADRID 000433

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PGOV PTER SP
SUBJECT: BASQUE LEADER CALLS EARLY ELECTIONS AFTER
PARLIAMENT REJECTS AUTONOMY PLAN

REF: MADRID 344


1. On February 1, the Spanish National Parliament decisively
rejected Plan Ibarretxe, the Basque proposal for reform of
the GOS-Basque autonomy statute. (See reftel). After a
marathon debate, the Basque proposal was voted down 313 to

29. The Socialists, Popular Party and other national parties
opposed Plan Ibarretxe, which only drew the support of small
regional parties, including the Basque Nationalist Party
(PNV).


2. On February 2, an extraordinary session of the Basque
Parliament was convened in which Ibarretxe called for new
elections for the Basque Regional Parliament. The elections
have been set for April 17, approximately three weeks earlier
than previously scheduled. Ibarretxe denied that the vote is
intended as a "virtual referendum," but he clearly intends to
win a majority for the PNV in the Basque Parliament by
stoking Basque nationalist sentiment. Ibarretxe also
publicly requested that Batasuna, ETA's political wing, be
allowed to participate in the April elections. The GOS
rejected any participation by Batasuna or other ETA front
groups.


3. Comment. Both the rejection of Plan Ibarretxe in the
National Parliament and the subsequent call for new Basque
elections came as no surprise. The key unknown factor is how
far Ibarretxe is willing to go in carrying out what would now
be an illegal referendum on Basque autonomy. Despite any new
developments in the Basque Region, the GOS and the majority
of the Spanish public will continue to oppose significant
revision of the autonomy statutes. End Comment.
MANZANARES