Madrid to ETA: Follow IRA's lead

MADRID, Spain -- Spanish leaders have urged Basque separatist group ETA to follow the Irish Republican Army's lead and start turning over its weapons.

"The IRA move is enormously positive. It could leave the terrorist organization ETA as the last group in Europe that is still killing people," said Spain's deputy prime minister, Mariano Rajoy.

Spanish media led with the news about the IRA, edging out the war in Afghanistan as the most important story of the day.

The September 11 terror attacks in the United States may have pressured the IRA into starting its disarmament process, and some analysts have suggested the attacks also may force ETA to rethink its campaign of violence.

But others doubt ETA will follow IRA's actions any time soon.

"I think it will be very difficult. Sinn Fein and the IRA coordinate their actions, but here, that does not happen. Instead, ETA controls its political wing, Batasuna," newspaper editorial writer Enrique Vazquez told CNN.

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Newspaper commentaries also noted the difference in political cultures between ETA and the IRA as an obstacle to progress in Spain.

The El Mundo daily called on ETA and Batasuna to follow the examples of IRA and Sinn Fein but wrote it was "difficult to be very optimistic."

"The situation in Basque independence circles is the opposite of what has happened in Northern Ireland: The tough guys, who favour bullets in the neck, have always carried the day over anyone who timidly came out in favour of the political path," the newspaper said.

El Pais, another national daily, took a similar view, saying that while Sinn Fein urged the IRA to observe the Northern Ireland peace deal, "nobody in Batasuna has ever dared" to ask ETA to lay down its arms.

Spaniards on the streets also have their doubts.

"It would be ideal if they did," 25-year-old Madrid law student Francisco de la Torre told The Associated Press. "But with the recent bombs, they've given no indication they are even thinking about it."

"The IRA deal was the result of many years of work. Spain has a long way to go still," another Spaniard told CNN.

"The attacks in America changed us all, including, thankfully the IRA," Teresa Llobet, a 62-year-old school teacher in Madrid, told the AP. "God willing, it could happen here too, but there's a lot of anger over the Basque conflict, and too few want to forgive and forget."

Former Interior Minister Jaime Mayor Oreja, himself a Basque, held out little hope.

"ETA is not following the IRA's path," the AP quoted him as telling Onda Cero radio. He predicted more "pain and suffering."

Joseba Alvarez, spokesman for Batasuna, did little to dispel Mayor Oreja's warning.

"The news is positive and demonstrates that negotiation and dialogue are necessary if peace is to be achieved," Alvarez told the AP, noting it was unlikely to occur in Spain as long as the government continued with "repression" rather than negotiation.

Likewise, Arnaldo Otegi, a leader of Batasuna, has refused to publicly call on ETA to lay down its arms.

Over the years, Sinn Fein and Batasuna leaders have exchanged visits to discuss developments and strategy, and it is believed the IRA cease-fire four years ago influenced ETA to call a truce in 1998.

But ETA's cease-fire lasted only 14 months, and the group has claimed 35 killings since early 2000 -- bringing the total to around 800 since it began its violent campaign for independence in 1968.

While the group has not killed anyone since July, two recent car bombs indicate it hasn't stopped trying.

One person was slightly injured after an explosion outside a court building in the Basque capital of Vitoria in early October. Before that, ETA was linked to a car bomb that exploded at Madrid's international airport in late August.

Despite the bombings, Spain has found a silver lining in the world outrage against terrorism after the attacks on the United States.

Spanish leaders have been lining up more support from allies in the fight against ETA. French President Jacques Chirac recently hosted Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, and they discussed how to further cripple ETA's logistical base in France.

This week, Mexico arrested and expelled an ETA suspect long wanted by Spain. The next step: The European Union is expected to make a formal list of terrorist organizations by December and then try to shut them down.

Spain is already arguing that ETA must be prominent on that list.

-- CNN Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman contributed to this report.