The sports category has moved to a new website.
ADVERTISEMENT

France says disarmament of violent group must be unconditional

He spoke a day after the head of the Basque regional government asked Paris and Madrid to help broker talks with the group.

The only way to disarm within the frame of the law is to reveal the location of the weapons to authorities, said French Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux on March 18, 2017

He spoke a day after the head of the Basque regional government asked Paris and Madrid to help broker talks with the group, which has said previously it would give up its arms for amnesties or improved conditions for imprisoned members.

"The only way to disarm within the frame of the law is to reveal the location of the weapons to authorities," Le Roux said in a statement. "The terms of their delivery cannot be subject to any negotiation."

ETA has not yet issued a statement on the pledged disarmament.

ADVERTISEMENT

Basque government head Inigo Urkullu confirmed on Friday the possibility that ETA was ready to give up its weapons by April 8 after decades of conflict in Spain and France, and said he hoped it would be "definitive, unilateral, irrevocable, complete and legal".

The central government in Madrid, a fierce opponent of ETA, reacted with scorn, demanding that the group simply "dissolve" and never reappear.

ETA, founded in 1959 and considered a terrorist group by the European Union, has been seeking to negotiate its dissolution in exchange for amnesties or improved prison conditions for its roughly 350 members held in Spain and France.

The group is blamed for the deaths of 829 people in a four-decade campaign of bombings and shootings for an independent Basque homeland, which straddles northern Spain and southwestern France.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: news@pulselive.co.ke

Recommended articles

Marianne Kitany tactfully speaks on whether Ruto should fire her ex, CS Linturi

Marianne Kitany tactfully speaks on whether Ruto should fire her ex, CS Linturi

Gov't & opposition officials clash at Rita Tinina's burial ceremony

Gov't & opposition officials clash at Rita Tinina's burial ceremony

CS Murkomen unveils new number plates for cars that will get preferential treatment

CS Murkomen unveils new number plates for cars that will get preferential treatment

Moi University students escape through windows after road crash

Moi University students escape through windows after road crash

57,000 civil servants to have their rent reviewed upwards

57,000 civil servants to have their rent reviewed upwards

Interesting story of U.S. Army Specialist Wambui who comes from a military family

Interesting story of U.S. Army Specialist Wambui who comes from a military family

Heroic GSU officer dies after jumping out of a taxi along Thika Super Highway

Heroic GSU officer dies after jumping out of a taxi along Thika Super Highway

DJ Joe Mfalme detained for 14 more days

DJ Joe Mfalme detained for 14 more days

Explosive blows up hotel next to police station, deaths reported

Explosive blows up hotel next to police station, deaths reported

ADVERTISEMENT