Ku Klux Klan

I am pleased to see that the leaders of the Basque separatist group - ETA - have been reading the blog site.

Because no sooner do I write a post about the importance of ETA laying down its arms - than the leadership call a press conference and announce and unconditional ceasefire.

Mind you ETA should sack its PR officer - because at the aforementioned press conference - they all appeared in funny hoods - like delegates from the Spanish Inquisition - or a Mediterranean version of the Ku Klux Klan.

Apparently the Spanish authorities know who they all are - two were women and one was a lawyer - would you believe.

So what was the point of going incognito - when everyone already knows your identity?

More to the point the whole event was about turning the page - building trust and confidence with your former enemies.

Maybe this was all down to the love Spanish people have for dressing up in ridiculous costumes  - I hope so because you can't go into serious peace negotiations wearing hoods - or motorbike helmets.

San Sebastian (October 19 2011)

San Sebastian was in the news the other day - for playing host to an international peace conference aimed at persuading ETA - the Basque terrorist group - to lay down its arms.

Kofi Annan - former head of the United Nations - was there, so were Martin McGuiness - Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland - and Jonathan Powell - former chief of staff to Tony Blair.

Both Powell and McGuiness played crucial roles in negotiating the Good Friday Peace Agreement - which brought years of sectarian killing and armed struggle to an end.

So I hope the conference had an impact - because the ETA campaign is going nowhere - and is hated by the vast majority of the Basque people in that part of Spain.

I've been to San Sebastian - or Donostia to give the town its Basque - which is nestled on the north coast of Spain to the east of Bilbao.

San Sebastian is the foodie capital of the Basque country and Spain - the taps or 'pintxos' are to die for - and the old town - is the place to head for to sample its wares.

A great night - or day - out can be had wandering from bar to bar - trying out the little specialities of the house - which are not just incredibly tasty but relatively cheap.

San Sebastian is dominated by a magnificent beach - La Concha - and is a great place to visit if you have the time and inclination - especially during its annual film festival when the town is really buzzing.

So I hope ETA listen to Kofi Annan, Martin McGuiness and Jonathan Powell - because killing and maiming completely innocent people will not achieve their political aims.

As events in Northern Ireland finally proved to the world - there is a better way.