Jos? Luis Rodr?guez Zapatero, the Spanish prime minister, on Wednesday heralded the start of a ?long and difficult peace process?, after Eta, the violent separatist group, declared a permanent ceasefire in its 38-year war for an independent Basque state.

Eta said the ceasefire would begin on Friday. ?The aim of this decision is to drive a democratic process in the Basque country?in which our rights as a people are recognised,? the outlawed group said in a statement.