New Basque Self-Government Plan Called Treason

Battle was joined yesterday over what some warned would be the future disintegration of the Spanish state, after the Basque regional premier, Juan José Ibarretxe, formally presented a referendum proposal to convert his troubled region into a "free associate" of Spain.

The so-called "Ibarretxe plan" was denounced as "treason" by the deputy prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, the man chosen to lead prime minister José María Aznar's conservative People's party at next year's general election.

Support for the plan was limited mostly to Basque nationalists and separatists, who jointly won 53% of the Basque vote at regional elections in 2001.