Spanish government rejects negotiation on greater Basque autonomy

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Thursday rejected negotiation on greater autonomy in Basque when meeting with regional leader.

Juan Jose Ibarretxe, government chief of the Basque region, told reporters after a four-hour meeting with the prime minister that Zapatero said "there will be no negotiation" on the plan for free association.

Ibarretxe said he presented a formal negotiation demand to the government, which suggests the northern region become a "territoryfreely associated with Spain" rather than simply an autonomous region.

Ibarretxe proposed the Basque region should have its own legal system and its own representation abroad in organizations including the European Union.

Zapatero has not given any comment so far.

However, Spanish First Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said that "this plan divides the citizens, itdivides the Basques and is overwhelmingly rejected by the Spanish people."

Last December, Ibarretxe obtained a narrow majority in the Basque regional parliament to support his plan, and wants to hold a regional referendum before submitting an eventual yes vote to the Spanish parliament.

Under the 1978 Spanish constitution, all regions are subject tothe overarching authority of the Madrid national government, whilea charter passed in 1979 laid down the widespread authority which the regions enjoy.

During the past 40 years, the Basque region has been restless due to political violence fomented by the armed radical separatistgroup ETA.

Source: Xinhua