Peter R. Neumann, director del Centre for Defence Studies del King’s College londinense, no está totalmente convencido que Zapatero sea capaz de “domésticar” a ETA. Aunque tampoco tiene una visión apocalíptica sobre posibles formas de negociación, de cumplirse ciertos requisitos capitales, de este tipo:

● Negotiations should never be confused with appeasement.
● Under such conditions, negotiations would merely give the terrorists political legitimacy and make the negotiating governments look stupid.
● The Spanish government needs to make clear that violence is unacceptable and will not lead to political gains. To rule out negotiations altogether would be foolish and dishonest, but it is up to ETA now to demonstrate that its desire for a negotiated solution is genuine.

• Can terrorists be tamed?, Peter R. Neumann, International Herald Tribune, 11 enero 2007.