Catalan leader stalls on independence drive

> Puigdemont calls for urgent meeting with Rajoy

BARCELONA: Catalonia’s separatist leader yesterday refused to say whether he had declared independence from Spain, calling for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to settle the country’s worst political crisis in a generation.

Responding to the yesterday morning deadline set by the central government to clarify his position, Carles Puigdemont wrote in a letter to Rajoy that “for the next two months, our main objective is to bring you to dialogue”.

He called to meet with Rajoy “as soon as possible” to discuss the crisis but stopped short of giving the definitive “yes or no” demanded by Madrid after an ambiguous independence speech last week.

Madrid has threatened to impose direct control over the semi-autonomous region if the separatists do not abandon their independence drive.

European Union officials are keeping a close eye on developments amid fears that Catalan independence could put further strain on the bloc as it grapples with Britain’s shock decision to leave.

Puigdemont had told regional lawmakers he was ready for Catalonia to “become an independent state” following an secession referendum on Oct 1 that went ahead despite a court ban.

But he immediately said he was suspending proceedings to allow time for negotiations with Madrid.

Puigdemont and some separatist allies want mediation with Madrid over the fate of the 7.5 million-strong region, an idea the central government says is a non-starter.

Rajoy gave Puigdemont until 10am yesterday to clarify whether or not he had declared independence, and said the central government was ready to take direct control of the region unless he backs down.

Puigdemont wrote that his “suspension of the political mandate given by the polls on Oct 1 demonstrates our firm will to find a solution and not confrontation”.

“Let’s not let the situation deteriorate further. With good will, recognising the problem and facing it head on, I am sure we can find the path to a solution,” he wrote.

In the run up to yesterday’s deadline, Spanish interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said Madrid wanted a full climbdown from Puigdemont but was prepared for another indefinite response.

“If that’s the case, that will show that he doesn’t want dialogue and so the Spanish government will need to take necessary measures to return to normality,” Zoido said at the weekend. – AFP