In his first address to the elected deputies and senators from his Socialist Party (PSOE), Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero yesterday called for a united front against terrorism

27 March 2008

MADRID - In his first address to the elected deputies and senators from his Socialist Party (PSOE), Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero yesterday called for a united front against terrorism, saying that more dialogue will be needed in order to achieve unity between all of Spain's political parties against the Basque terrorist group ETA.

In his address Zapatero said that he trusted that the "shared suffering" of all of Spain's citizens due to terrorism would allow for "sincere and noble" agreement and understanding in the new legislature to ensure the fight against ETA, will "end the violence once and for all."

The PSOE leader urged his supporters in parliament to work hard to promote cross-party dialogue and cooperation "in spite of fundamentalist attitudes," referring to the opposition Popular Party's past rejection of the Socialists' anti-terror policies.

Highlighting the Socialists' 44 percent win of the popular vote in the 9 March general elections, Zapatero said he considered this a "solid" base on which to be able to carry out his political vision, which, he said, will rest on the pressing need for more "national pacts." The Socialist party and the PP were at loggerheads during much of Zapatero's first four years in office and the opposition group refused to offer unconditional support for the government's anti-terrorist policies.

[Copyright El Pais / KELLY RAMUNDO 2008]