First of all, ETA can be described just as a separatist group only if you call al-Qaeda a religious, Boeing-flying group. Being separatist is a perfectly legitimate political option that can be pursued by peaceful means. But those guys don't do that. They have killed, maimed and injured hundreds of people. What defines ETA, or al-Qaeda, is not their goals, but the means they use to pursue it: terrorism, instead of civilized politica debate.

Second, it's certainly good news, better than if they hadn't made the statement (full text in Spanish, pdf). But I wouldn't bet too much on this declaration, as I haven't in the past. If they call for a "permanent and internationally verifiable cease-fire" without surrendering their weapons, the only verification would be counting the days until they change their minds and strike again (they certainly weaker nowadays, but how you only need a gun or two to create mayhem, just ask Jared Loughner). Especially because in the next paragraph, ETA calls on Spain and France to stop repressing them. You have to consider that those bastards always call being sent to jail after murdering someone not a legitimate response from the rule of law to a crime, no. They call it "repression"