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| Spain Catalan crisis: Puigdemont seeks independence talks | Spain Catalan crisis: Puigdemont seeks independence talks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has said his people voted for independence from Spain - but that he wants a negotiated solution with Madrid. | Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has said his people voted for independence from Spain - but that he wants a negotiated solution with Madrid. |
| He asked the regional parliament in Barcelona to suspend the effect of the vote so talks could begin - rather than breaking away immediately. | He asked the regional parliament in Barcelona to suspend the effect of the vote so talks could begin - rather than breaking away immediately. |
| A vote on 1 October resulted in almost 90% of voters backing independence, Catalan officials say. | A vote on 1 October resulted in almost 90% of voters backing independence, Catalan officials say. |
| Madrid said it was illegal and Spain's Constitutional Court suspended it. | Madrid said it was illegal and Spain's Constitutional Court suspended it. |
| Anti-independence voters largely boycotted the referendum ballot - which had a reported turnout of 43% - and there were several reports of irregularities. | Anti-independence voters largely boycotted the referendum ballot - which had a reported turnout of 43% - and there were several reports of irregularities. |
| National police were involved in violent scenes as they manhandled voters. | National police were involved in violent scenes as they manhandled voters. |
| Mr Puigdemont told the regional parliament on Tuesday evening that the "people's will" was to break away from Madrid, but he also said he wanted to "de-escalate" the tension around the issue. | Mr Puigdemont told the regional parliament on Tuesday evening that the "people's will" was to break away from Madrid, but he also said he wanted to "de-escalate" the tension around the issue. |
| He hailed the referendum process and condemned the actions of the Spanish government, but acknowledged that people on all sides were worried about what would happen next. | He hailed the referendum process and condemned the actions of the Spanish government, but acknowledged that people on all sides were worried about what would happen next. |
| "We are all part of the same community and we need to go forward together. The only way forward is democracy and peace," he told deputies. | "We are all part of the same community and we need to go forward together. The only way forward is democracy and peace," he told deputies. |
| But he also said Catalonia was being denied the right to self-determination, and paying too much in taxes to the central government in Madrid. | But he also said Catalonia was being denied the right to self-determination, and paying too much in taxes to the central government in Madrid. |
| Catalan police have been posted outside the parliament in Barcelona, sealing off the grounds to the public. A large pro-independence rally was held in the area as the parliament met. | Catalan police have been posted outside the parliament in Barcelona, sealing off the grounds to the public. A large pro-independence rally was held in the area as the parliament met. |
| 'Threat still on the table' | |
| By the BBC's Tom Burridge, in Barcelona | |
| The incredible game of cat and mouse between the Madrid government and the Catalan devolved government continues. | |
| And that's been the tactic all along from the Catalan government. It's been putting threats on the table, it's been speaking to the media and saying: "I will go ahead and declare independence from Spain come what may", "I will hold that referendum of more than a week ago even though it has been declared illegal by the Spanish state, even though they try to arrest officials and try to break it up". | |
| And now Carles Puigdemont is saying: "I am still going to declare independence from Spain, but I am giving them some time, a window." | |
| That is a window where there can in theory be mediation - and we are hearing that there are mediation efforts by an international organisation, according to our sources, involving very very senior international political figures. | |
| In a sense his stark warnings haven't changed. But he will still be under pressure, not only from his own party but other pro-independence Catalan parties which he depends on for a majority in parliament to actually keep this whole project going. | |
| He's given them maybe enough, but is their patience going to run out? And then there's the other dimension in this - the Spanish government in Madrid. | |
| Independence supporters had been sharing the Catalan hashtag #10ODeclaració (10 October Declaration) on Twitter, amid expectations that Mr Puigdemont would ask parliament to declare independence on the basis of the referendum law it passed last month. | Independence supporters had been sharing the Catalan hashtag #10ODeclaració (10 October Declaration) on Twitter, amid expectations that Mr Puigdemont would ask parliament to declare independence on the basis of the referendum law it passed last month. |
| But influential figures including Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau and European Council President Donald Tusk had urged Mr Puigdemont to step back from declaring independence. | But influential figures including Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau and European Council President Donald Tusk had urged Mr Puigdemont to step back from declaring independence. |
| The Madrid government had called on the Catalan leader "not to do anything irreversible, not to pursue a path of no return and not to make any unilateral independence declaration". | The Madrid government had called on the Catalan leader "not to do anything irreversible, not to pursue a path of no return and not to make any unilateral independence declaration". |
| Mr Tusk said: "A few days ago I asked [Spanish] Prime Minister Rajoy to look for a solution to the problem without the use of force, to look for dialogue, because the use of dialogue is always better. | Mr Tusk said: "A few days ago I asked [Spanish] Prime Minister Rajoy to look for a solution to the problem without the use of force, to look for dialogue, because the use of dialogue is always better. |
| "Diversity should not and need not lead to conflict whose consequences would obviously be bad for the Catalans, for Spain and for whole of Europe." | "Diversity should not and need not lead to conflict whose consequences would obviously be bad for the Catalans, for Spain and for whole of Europe." |
| Mr Rajoy is due to appear in Spain's parliament on Wednesday. He has already said any declaration of independence by Catalonia would "lead to nothing". | Mr Rajoy is due to appear in Spain's parliament on Wednesday. He has already said any declaration of independence by Catalonia would "lead to nothing". |
| A stream of companies have announced plans to move their head offices out of Catalonia in response to the crisis. | A stream of companies have announced plans to move their head offices out of Catalonia in response to the crisis. |
| It is one of Spain's wealthiest regions, accounting for a quarter of the country's exports. | It is one of Spain's wealthiest regions, accounting for a quarter of the country's exports. |
| The European Union has made clear that should Catalonia split from Spain, the region would cease to be part of the EU. | The European Union has made clear that should Catalonia split from Spain, the region would cease to be part of the EU. |
| Catalonia, a part of the Spanish state for centuries but with its own distinct language and culture, enjoys broad autonomy under the Spanish constitution. | Catalonia, a part of the Spanish state for centuries but with its own distinct language and culture, enjoys broad autonomy under the Spanish constitution. |
| However, a 2005 amendment redefining the region as a "nation", boosting the status of the Catalan language and increasing local control over taxes and the judiciary was reversed by the Constitutional Court in 2010. | However, a 2005 amendment redefining the region as a "nation", boosting the status of the Catalan language and increasing local control over taxes and the judiciary was reversed by the Constitutional Court in 2010. |
| The economic crisis further fuelled discontent and pro-independence parties took power in the region in the 2015 elections. | The economic crisis further fuelled discontent and pro-independence parties took power in the region in the 2015 elections. |
| Attempts to hold a legal Scottish-style referendum on independence have got nowhere with the Spanish government. | Attempts to hold a legal Scottish-style referendum on independence have got nowhere with the Spanish government. |
| Are you in the region? E-mail us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukwith your stories. | Are you in the region? E-mail us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukwith your stories. |
| You can also contact us in the following ways: | You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |