Spain's Basque region holds separatist rally

Tens of thousands of Basque separatist sympathizers have held a rally in the regions largest city days after armed militant group ETA declared it was abandoning violence.Many Basque political leaders were present at the march in Bilbao Saturday, carrying banners saying The Basque region wants solutions, a reference to a long espoused yearning for greater regional autonomy.Some demonstrators could be heard shouting for a return of ETA prisoners to jails in the Basque region.Among speakers at the rally was Pello Urizar, secretary general of party Eusko Alkatasuna, who called on Spanish leaders to commit themselves to a political solution to regional tensions like the British did to end separatist violence in Northern Ireland.