BBC's Clive Myrie: ETA wants to say this ceasefire is different

BBC news anchormen Clive Myrie believes that ETA "wants to suggest that this is a different ceasefire to ones they declared before." It was Myrie whom the armed group chose to communicate their latest announcement via the BBC.

During an interview with Eitb''s Euskadi Irratia radio programme Mezularia, the British journalist explained some of the background behind how he got hold of the video: "The ETA situation and the Basque nationalist question is something I''ve been fascinated in for a long time. Whatever happened on Sunday is the result of all that work after the last few years."

Myrie believes that ETA chose the BBC because "they wished to reach a wider audience".

"They wanted to suggest that this was a different ceasefire to the one they declared before. In (previous ceasefires) they broke their word and went back to violence. They may be trying to suggest, by using the BBC, that this is more of a credible ceasefire."

Myrie was also asked about what response the announcement had had: "A lot of people have commented on how this is perhaps nothing new; that ETA have done this before and that this latest ceasefire won''t result in anything. Others are more optimistic and hope this is the beginning of something new."

Myrie also stressed that the BBC''s role in this latest chapter has been "telling the world that ETA is willing to, for the moment, stop the violence. We''re the messenger and that''s pretty much been it."

When asked about how the BBC managed to translate the video, he explained that the news group has a Basque-English translator.

Myrie has visited the Basque Country on a number of occasions: "The Guggenheim, San Sebastian, the beaches at Biarritz. It''s a lovely place and I have lots of friends there."