The process of the conflict’s internationalisation that's living Euskal Herria knew different phases. During years, different Euskal Herria’s popular, trade-union, institutionnal and social actors visited the world making known the situation we’re living here, by revealing the historical origin of this conflict and by claiming a political resolution. International forums and worldwide summits, congresses and conventions... The scenes are numerous where one learnt the basque conflict.

Along this trajectory of seven years, Udalbiltza itself was present in various international forums (like the Worldwide Social Forum of Porto Alegre, the European Social Forum and the Forum of The Local Authorities), as well as in others international congresses. In the same way, it is fitting to remind that this national institution organised, at the end of 2002, the International Conference for the Rights of the Peoples, in an effort to contribute our own share on the self-determination right others Europeans and Worldwide peoples. This conference analysed processes very different, and the reflections made in common were used to extract a lesson.

However, during all this time, the Spanish and French states put many obstacles at the international level and the unilateral readings which pretended to deform our people’s political and historical conflict were innumerable but it was evident that what was defined during years like a conflict had to acquire another dimension. The diffusion of the existence of a people which demands that its rights be respected wasn’t easy during the last years.

At the time of all the occasions which the basque conflict entered in a decisive time, the international actors showed their support. In that, it is advisable to remind the many declarations which followed after the signature of the Lizarra-Garazi’s Agreement as well as those which were emitted on march 22, day where the organisation ETA notified its initiative; so, various international institutions greeted the step which had been taken, like the United Nations’ Secretary, the White House, including the Vatican. More, these last days, the european governments met together in the European Council showed their public support to the Zapatero’s government and various european chiefs spoke highly of the way undertaken by the Spanish State; so, the Italian prime minister, Romano Prodi, assured this same week that the conditions necessary for a resolution’s process are there, and the British prime minister, Tony Blair, spoke highly at the beginning of the month of the attitude of the Zapatero’s government.

The european institutions’ intervention in the european conflicts isn’t new. During years they promoted politically and economically the way for the resolution of the Irish conflict, by articulating various programs and being patrons of the process, and, in this same line, they were transformed into a reference for the government from Madrid. After all, we must consider like a very important step the fact that so much in the European Parliament than in the European Council included Euskal Herria in their program.

In this debate which will take place in the European Parliament, there’s no doubt that the Friendship formed by european parliamentarians at the Forum of National Debate’s request will have a big importance. The text approved by the socialistes, liberals, European Unit Left, greens and ALE recognizes the political character of the basque conflict, and gives its support to the process started, in the same time it condamns the using of the violence; in the same way, it emphasizes the necessity that all the political forces be present in the new situation which opened and the necessity for the search for adequate mechanisms to put a term the conflict. That’s of all that from we deduce that the european institutions will recognize the political character of the basque conflict, as well as its european and nonexclusive character from a state, either the Spanish state or the French.

After all, the objective we pretend to attain by this debate is not other than to ask the same support that receipted the Irish process. However, even if there’s a lot of success possibility, it’s evident that it’s in the European political chiefs’ hands, as it’s in the Chief of Governement’s hands from Madrid to guarantee what he has declared the 29th of june, that’s to say, the respect of the basque citizens’ decision.

In any case, the document subscribed by six international personalities the last monday has a vital importance in this context. In this one, six personalities from the international policy have spoken highly of the steps made by the organisation ETA, the spanish government and various Euskal Herria’s political, trade-union and social actors, and called to eliminate the conflict’s causes and effects, a framework of resolution and democratic resolution. More of recognizing the Euskal Herria’s existence, they emphasized the fact that the conflict’s key for the conflict’s resolution is located in the right to decide, and considering the nature purely political of this one, but also the fact that the solution will come from the democracy, from the dialogue and from the negotiation.

This international support forces the actors so much europeans than basque to act with responsability, as well as making the necessary steps to guarantee the basque citizens’ right to decide.

The Table for the Resolution and the Friendship invited the Euskal Herria’s actors to be present in the debate and an historical vote for our people, and Udalbiltza, like national institution, reaffirming its engagement to take part in a solution for our people, announces it will be present in the debate which will be brought to a successfull conclusion in Strasbourg.

Loren Arkotxa, president of Udalbiltza.
Miren Odriozola, responsable of the International Commission.