Letter: ETA violence

Sir: The book review "The survival of the perfect Europeans" (4 November) mentions two points which are very far from present reality in the Basque Country.

It says that "arrests, torture and murder continue". It is obvious that the Spanish state carries out arrests and prosecutes people who have committed a criminal offence, regardless of whether they belong to a terrorist group like ETA, or whether they are civil servants who have abused their positions. However, there is no proof whatsoever that "torture and murder continue".

It also speaks of "the violence of ETA or of the Spanish state (each has killed about 800 since 1968)". This is true only in so far as it refers to ETA.

CARLOS SANCHEZ

Press Counsellor

Spanish Embassy

London SW1