CATALUNYA regional president Carles Puigdemont said in an interview with CNN today (Wednesday) that he is willing to open talks with Spain's leader Mariano Rajoy as long as there are 'no prior conditions' laid down.
Puigdemont, who may or may not have unilaterally declared independence last night – pro-secession politicians in Catalunya and the national government have both asked him for clarification – says two members of both the catalán government and that of Spain should jointly decide upon and appoint an arbitrator to be present when Puigdemont himself and Rajoy start talking.
The regional president says this 'responds in time and in format' to the procedures laid down by the Spanish Constitution as a precursor to invoking Article 155, which would allow Spain to withdraw Catalunya's autonomous governing rights, taking over its laws, finances, public services and administration.
“We're at a point where the most important thing is that there should be no prior conditions to sitting down and talking; just accepting that we have to talk in the right conditions,” Puigdemont said in an interview with the US-based TV company.
“The relationship between Spain and Catalunya is just not working, so we need to bring our positions together.
“In my Tuesday speech, I was trying to send out a message of calm, to remind people that we're up against a political problem that we have to solve with politics, not with police.”
The Spanish State is investigating whether it has legal motives for charging Catalunya's president with sedition, a criminal offence.
“My arrest would be unjustified and a mistake,” stated Puigdemont.
“This is not the time to start sending people to prison because of dissenting political views.
“There is a majority in Catalunya who want us to become an independent State, and I want to do so with the agreement of the Spanish government – but this has to be free of any terms and conditions governing the talks.”
