Welcome to the tuSPAIN weekly review of the Spanish media. Cristina Marquez Arroyo de Camihort has selected a wide range of articles covering general news about Spain, politics, business and culture. We also invite you to view the latest news from Spain (in Spanish) at the web sites of El Pais, El Mundo, ABC and El Periodico
NEWS REVIEW
19 - 25 March, 1997
FREEDOM FOR BASQUE HOSTAGES
A new demonstration was organised last week in San Sebastian to demand the freedom of Jose Antonio Ortega Lara and Cosme Delclaux, a Correctional Facilities Officer and an Entrepreneur who were kidnapped by the terrorist group ETA. Thousands of people walked through the streets of the Basque city in an rally organised by the conciliatory group Coordinadora Gesto por la Paz from Euskal Herria. Jose Antonio Ardanza, the mayor of the City and the rest of the political forces, with the exception of Herri Batasuna (the political arm of the terrorist band), expressed their support for this mobilisation, as well as the pacifist organisation "Denon Artean", one of the emerging political youth groups.
CERVANTES, UNAMUNO AND FRANCO
Javier Arzallus, the President of the National Basque Party (PNV), exhorted the Youth Group of his party to avoid looking at the violence that the Basque Country is experiencing as something important. He stated that those encouraging or practising violence as a means to express their points of view are "irritating, harassing and hurting others, but don't represent the actual problem that the Basque people have right now". He suggested that "they should be allowed to pass by, and then prove how far they can go with their methods". He also stated that there is no problem whatsoever with Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, with whom he has a "cordial relationship". For the sake of those in the audience who were old enough to have attended school in Spanish instead of Basque, he delivered his speech in this language, which he said "is the language of Cervantes and Unamuno, but also the language of Franco". He added that the fact they were obliged to learn Spanish as their native language, did not mean that they have to be left out now, because their knowledge of Basque is almost non-existent.
NEW MEMBER IN THE ROYAL ACADEMY
Angel Gonzales entered the Spanish Royal Academy of Language with a speech on the plot of Antonio Machado. He addressed the audience with a lecture entitled "The other solitude of Antonio Machado", after which he was accepted as a full member of the Academy, where he will occupy the "P" chair, vacant since the death of Julio Caro Baroja. According to Gonzales, he has no preconceived plan to implement as part of his job at the Academy. However, he is determined to contribute as much as possible. His audience, formed by outstanding Academic fellows and well-known personalities, listened with delight to his dissertation, where he expressed his continuous admiration for Machado, whose prose can be read over and over again finding every time a different nuance.
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF JOURNALISM
Their Majesties, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia, inaugurated in Granada the 1997 Congress of the International Institute of Journalism. The Congress was held at the Manuel de Falla Auditorium and constitutes the 46th edition of this event. The International Institute of Journalism
(IPI), is sponsoring the event with the participation of the most important media editors and executives from all over the world. Jose Maria Aznar, Prime Minister of the Government will preside over the closing ceremony, on Wednesday, March 26.
CESID FILES IN BASQUE CASE
The Supreme Court has ordered the government to declassify 13 of 18 classified documents sought by three lower courts, which had been kept as confidential, and to allow their inclusion as evidence in the trials of former officials indicted in the killings of some members of the Basque separatist group ETA.
During the Socialist Administration of Felipe Gonzales, 27 people suspected of being Basque terrorists were killed, in a so-called dirty war, which resembles similar actions undertaken by the Argentinean Military rule during the late 1970s. The former Prime Minister has been already cleared by the Supreme Court last November of any involvement in the killings. However, the declassification of the documents, which had been kept classified as "confidential" on national security grounds, could prove that Mr. Gonzales had knowledge of the "dirty war", according to an indicted former spy. Miguel Angel Rodriguez, a government spokesman, has expressed that "the government will comply with the Supreme Court decision and will act accordingly''.
UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS DEAL
The labour unions and employers organisations have reached a deal on reducing severance payments, which was the key obstacle to continuing negotiations on a labour reform pact. Under the new compromise, all workers will receive 33 days severance pay for every year worked with a ceiling of 24 months. This will help employers to reach their goal of cutting dismissal costs, which in their opinion, is one of the reasons that contribute to unemployment. According to the employers, these costs are prohibitive to the extent that dissuade them from hiring. On the other hand, the Unions have agreed to make it cheaper to fire workers in exchange for a new permanent
contract. The final details of the agreement are still being worked out. The government has been pressing for a difficult to reach labour reform pact to liberalise Spain's rigid labour market, in order to bring down the Spanish unemployment rate, which is the highest in the European Union.
TELEFONICA AND BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS
British Telecommunications is planning a strategic alliance with Telefonica of Spain, which will allow the company to enter the South American market, by starting its international operation in Argentina, Chile and Peru. In this way, BT and its American partner MCI will have a strong presence in the South American market, where neither of them is currently represented. So far, both are strong in Europe and North America.
FRENCH SUPPORT FOR EMU BID
France may give its support to the participation of Spain in the launching of Europe's single currency, which will help the rest of the Union to overcome doubts about its qualification to join the European economic powers. Mr. Rodrigo Rato, the Economy Minister, will put forward Spain's dramatic economic improvement to ensure that France will back the Spanish acceptance by the rest of the countries. Jean Arthuis, the French Finance Minister, will meet with his Spanish counterpart as a follow-up to the European Union Summit in Dublin held in December 1996, which laid the foundation of the implementation of monetary union. Based on the comments made by French President Jacques Chirac, portraying Spain as a credible contender for the new currency, it's likely that Arthuis will be very sympathetic to Spain's cause. Spain has enforced its economic clean-up project and achieved inflation levels and currency stability that met the requirements of the Masstricht Treaty.
BETIS GOES SECOND
The Real Betis defeated Oviedo in an clamorous 4-0 victory, thus moving into second place in the first division soccer tournament. This result left Betis six points behind Real Madrid and three ahead of Barcelona. Alfonso Perez from the Betis team was the most celebrated figure of the evening, scoring twice and joining in this way the same position of Ronaldo, the Brazilian prodigy who is at the top of the scoring list with 22 goals. Meanwhile, Manuel Ruiz de Lopera left the Soccer fans without their usual televised game of the Saturday evening league by refusing to allow television cameras into the game. He may face a fine of over 200 million pesetas for this decision, a decision he has been broadly criticised for.
ROYAL VISIT TO MEXICO
His Majesty King Juan Carlos will pay a state visit to Mexico on April 4 and 5, marking the 20th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two nations. He will be accompanied by Queen Sophia in a trip that will be their third visit to Mexico. Ernesto Zedillo, the Mexican President, invited the royal couple during his last state visit to Spain in January 1996. After the state visit, they will travel to the town of Zacatecas, where they will inaugurate the First International Congress of the Spanish Language.
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