ETA to stop attacking Spanish politicians says paper

MADRID - Violent Basque separatist group ETA has announced it will no longer attack elected Spanish politicians in a statement to a Basque newspaper, the paper's on-line version said on Saturday.

The decision, effective from June 1, was motivated by recent "political changes", newspaper Gara quoted the group as saying.

The Spanish government recently offered to talk to ETA, which has killed 850 people in a four decade independence campaign, if it lays down its arms.

The group, whose methods have included car bombings, kidnapping and shooting politicians in the back of the head, wants a state carved out of France and Spain.

The paper quoted ETA as saying it was now up to Madrid and Paris to "respond positively to the will displayed by ETA in recent months." Statements from the group have become more frequent.

On Friday ETA called for talks in a letter published in Gara, but the government insisted the group quit violence first. ETA also called for talks in April, after months of speculation that a ceasefire could be on the way.

ETA has not killed anyone for two years but has launched a series of mainly small attacks in recent months.

- REUTERS