Spain: Spain's Prime Minister, Mr José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, yesterday met the leader of the opposition, Mr Mariano Rajoy, to try to find a common position on the controversial Ibarretxe Plan, which threatens the unity of the Spanish state by creating a semi-independent Basque nation.
Mr Zapatero greeted Mr Rajoy on the steps of his official residence in the Moncloa Palace with a firm handshake and a warm smile, in stark contrast to the cold reception he gave only 24 hours earlier to the Basque leader, Mr Juan José Ibarretxe.
Mr Rajoy's visit to the Moncloa was the third formal meeting between the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition since the surprise Socialist victory in general elections last March.
The controversial Ibarretxe Plan proposes to reform the 1979 Autonomy Statute and turn the Basque Country into a virtual free state. In the unlikely event of it being passed by the Madrid parliament, the reform would grant almost total independence to the Basque people, giving them the right to dual Spanish and Basque nationality, their own courts, full control over social security, rights to represent themselves in the EU and other international organisations and to convene referendums without the prior approval of the Madrid parliament - contrary to the 1978 Constitution.
Mr Rajoy pressed Mr Zapatero to remain firm and not give in to Basque pressure. He proposed the setting up of a bilateral pact on the issue, similar to the anti-terrorist pact in which the parties refrain from making political gain from acts of terrorism.
Mr Rajoy said his aim was to maintain national unity and to co-operate with the government.
But the tone adopted in recent weeks by the opposition leader and his Popular Party has been confrontational and frequently inflammatory. Some PP officials have demanded a suspension of Basque autonomy and the introduction of direct rule from Madrid.
The Ibarretxe Plan was approved by the Basque parliament on December 30th thanks to the last-minute support of the illegal Batasuna, ETA's political wing, and in spite of the fact that Mr Ibarretxe had repeatedly said he would never accept the votes of a party which refused to condemn violence.
To show his disposition to listen, Mr Zapatero met Mr Ibarretxe for almost four hours on Thursday to try to iron out their differences, but he refused to consider any negotiation on a project deemed to be unconstitutional.
Mr Ibarretxe refused to budge and has even threatened that the situation could "come to blows" if Madrid does not agree to his demands.
He warned that he would press ahead with his plans to hold a referendum on his plan with or without the approval of the Madrid parliament even if it is unconstitutional.
A recent opinion poll showed that the Basque people were almost evenly divided between one third who approve the Ibarretxe Plan, a third who are against it, and the remaining third who are undecided.
One of the Ibarretxe - and ETA - demands is for the incorporation of the neighbouring region of Navarre into the Basque Country, a demand vehemently opposed by the majority of the residents.
Mr Miguel Sanz , the president of the Navarran government, has likened Mr Ibarretxe to Hitler and accused him of "continually ignoring one half of the population, as did Hitler".
He said: "The Ibarretxe Plan contains large doses of totalitarianism, just like the Third Reich."
The issue is likely to come to a head in May, when the Basque people will hold their regional elections. Opinion polls suggest that the outcome will be close.