The Basque separatist group, ETA, says it will continue its indefinite truce, but will not announce a definitive ceasefire until it's reached an agreement with the Spanish government.

In a statement, ETA said it had not yet had any direct contact with the government in Madrid, since it announced its truce three months ago.

Basque politicians have dismissed as insufficient a government decision to transfer twenty-one ETA prisoners to jails nearer their homes.

The transfer of prisoners is one of ETA's main demands; it wants more than five hundred moved closer to the Basque region in time for Christmas.