Catalan President Says He Has 'Mandate' For Independence, Calls For Talks With Madrid
Regional leader Carles Puigdemont emphasized the importance of dialogue in a major speech. More than a week ago, the region voted for independence from Spain, in a referendum Madrid considers illegal.
Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, the region's separatist leader, says he has the "mandate" to declare independence from Spain but is delaying such a declaration to allow for talks with Madrid.
In a much anticipated speech to the regional Parliament, more than a week after a referendum on Catalan independence, Puigdemont called for the "de-escalation of tensions" while emphasizing the importance of dialogue.
"I want to follow the people's will for Catalonia to become an independent state," he said, according to a BBC interpreter. But after saying declare independence, he said he wanted to suspend any such measure to allow time for negotiations. He said he was open to the possibility of international mediation.
