SPAIN'S SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR PEACE TALKS WITH THE ARMED BASQUE SEPARATIST GROUP ETA RAN INTO NEW DIFFICULTIES THURSDAY, WITH THE CONSERVATIVE POPULAR PARTY (PP) THREATENING TO WITHDRAW ITS SUPPORT, DPA REPORTED. THE BACKING OF THE MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY IS REGARDED AS VITAL FOR A PEACE PROCESS SEEKING TO END A FOUR-DECADE SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE WHICH HAS CLAIMED MORE THAN 800 LIVES. PP LEADER MARIANO RAJOY CRITICIZED THE BASQUE SOCIALIST PARTY'S PLANS OF MEETING REPRESENTATIVES OF BATASUNA, AN ILLEGAL PARTY REGARDED AS ETA'S POLITICAL WING. PRIME MINISTER JOSE LUIS RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO HAD PLACED HIMSELF "IN THE HANDS" OF ETA AND CROSSED A "RED LINE," RAJOY SAID. THE PP ACCEPTS ONLY DISARMAMENT TALKS WITH ETA, OPPOSING ANY POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE IT REGARDS AS TERRORISTS. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TERESA FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA SAID THE SOCIALISTS WOULD NOT HOLD "POLITICAL" TALKS WITH BATASUNA, BUT ONLY URGE THE PARTY TO CONDEMN ETA'S VIOLENCE, WHICH IS THE LEGAL CONDITION FOR ITS RE-LEGALIZATION. BATASUNA HAS ALSO THREATENED TO BLOCK THE PEACE PROCESS OVER WHAT IT REGARDS AS JUDICIAL HARASSMENT OF ITS MEMBERS. BATASUNA LEADER ARNALDO OTEGI FACES NUMEROUS CHARGES INCLUDING STAGING POLITICAL ACTIVITIES DESPITE A 2002 BAN ON HIS PARTY, THREATENING WITH TERRORIST ACTS AND ENCOURAGING STREET VIOLENCE.
