Ibarretxe denies wanting a complete break with Spain
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The prime minister of Spain's Basque region,
Juan Jose Ibarretxe, has presented new proposals for increased autonomy
to the regional parliament.
He said that Basques should be allowed to decide their
own foreign policy, and be represented at European Union meetings
separately from Spain.
The Spanish Government has reacted angrily to the Basque
leader's calls, with Interior Minister Angel Acebes accusing him of
trying to rewrite the Spanish constitution.
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PLAN IBARRETXE
Dual Basque and Spanish nationality
Basque parliament to be able to call referendums
Supreme court of justice answerable only to Basque parliament
Direct representation in Europe with power of veto
Single Basque electoral district in European elections
2005 referendum on autonomy
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And spokesman Eduardo Zaplana said Madrid would challenge in the courts
any aspects of the plan that it considered unconstitutional.
Mr Ibarretxe has proposed among other things that
Basques have dual citizenship - Basque and Spanish - and direct
representation in Europe.
The BBC's Katya Adler in Madrid says that while most
Basques say they want a referendum on the future status of their region
- which the plan envisages will take place in 2005 - some express
concern that the new proposals go a step too far.
But Mr Ibarretxe denied that he wanted to break away from Spain altogether.
He called for the "eradication" of separatist group ETA by addressing local discontent.
Correspondents say the mainstream Basque nationalists
are trying to lead ETA towards peace - or squeeze them out of politics
- by making themselves more radical.
However, critics say the plan merely panders to the
separatists, whose 30-year struggle for independence has cost more than
800 lives.
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