to have an been asking to have an agreed referendum like it happened in scotland. a referendum where both sides could campaign, and both sides committed themselves to accept the result and apply this result and negotiations in the interest of everyone. if the united kingdom could do that, one of the most solemn democracies in the world, why could we not. all oui’ in the world, why could we not. all our initiatives to achieve that have met very strong opposition. persecution by police, by courts access. “— persecution by police, by courts access. —— exaggerate. many of our ministers persecuted, many of them

present today. all of them suspended from office just because the organised a consultation in 2014 which was not even binding. they we re which was not even binding. they were fined, in a very abusive way. very high quantity finds. which affected them and their families. many members of this parliament have been sued to express their defence of the right to decide. 0r been sued to express their defence of the right to decide. or to allow for debate about the issue to take

place. 16 public people had to go to declare and they did not even know what they were therefore to begin with. many politicians have also been accused of sedition. which carries, can carry long prison sentences. this has been the response of the spanish state against catalan demands. we have

a lwa ys against catalan demands. we have always expressed are will any specific way and always based on our majority in the parliament, elected by people. we ask to have the freedom to decide. there is no institution in the spanish state which is open to talk, really talk and have some dialogue about this. last week the speech confirmed our worst fears. now i want to address spanish citizens in spanish. i want to tra nsfer spanish citizens in spanish. i want to transfer a message of serenity and respect. the will of dialogue

has always been our priority. i'm aware that some of the information that you read in the media is not what it should be. i would like you to make an effort to understand what has taken us here. we are not criminals. we are not mad. we are not rebels. we are normal people. and wejust not rebels. we are normal people. and we just want to vote. we have been ready to talk and have dialogue, we have always been ready to have an agreed solution. we have nothing against spain. it is the opposite. we want to have a better understanding with spain. the

relationship between spain and catalonia has not been working for many years. and nothing has been done about it. and now this is unsustainable. the country cannot be pushed by force to accept the situation. there is democracy beyond constitution, beyond the constitution. ladies and gentlemen, with the results of the referendum on the 1st of october showing that we have one right to be an independent country, and the right to be respected, what we have been living for the past three days we have never had before. people are listening to us. the yes to

independence won an election at the parliament and has now won a referendum. the ballot says yes to independence and this is the will that i want to go forward with. the electoral law establishes that 48 hours after the referendum results there needs to be a session in order to declare independence. and agree the beginning of the constituent process. now at this point, at this

historic moment, i ask the president of catalonia —— as president of catalonia, i want to follow pupils will for catalonia to become an independent state. applause. this is what we must do today for respect and solemnity and the government and myself propose that

this parliament suspends the effects of the independence declaration in order to establish dialogue without which we cannot reach a solution. we wa nt which we cannot reach a solution. we want the tension to be de—escalated. and in order to work towards putting into practice the results of the referendum. you know thatjust after the referendum we have been trying to establish bridges of dialogue nationally and internationally, some of them well—known and others, other initiatives not well known and not public. all of them very difficult. but difficult to imagine in the

past. we have been hurt —— we've been heard from all over the world. big personalities, the united nations, members of the united nations, members of the united nations, european leaders, there are many personalities in europe who wa nt many personalities in europe who want this dialogue. all these voices need to be listened to. and all of them have asked us to allow a bit of time in order to favour dialogue. so this is what doing. and i'm finishing now. iwant

this is what doing. and i'm finishing now. i want to ask citizens of catalonia that carry on demonstrating and expressing themselves in the way they have done peacefully. economically i want to ask the companies that carry on growing and do not fall into threats. and i would ask everyone to contribute to the de—escalated of the tension, to the spanish government i would ask them to listen but may not listen to us that they don't want to, but listen to people who are asking for mediation. also people in spain, within spain, who are asking them to listen. today we are making a gesture for responsibility. in favour of

dialogue. i'm convinced that if eve ryo ne dialogue. i'm convinced that if everyone in the next few days acts ina everyone in the next few days acts in a responsible way, fulfilling their responsibilities, the conflict between catalonia and spain can be resolved in assembling and agreed way, respecting the will of citizens. we want to be faithful to oui’ citizens. we want to be faithful to our long history. to everyone who have suffered for this. our sons and daughters, everyone who considers catalonia their land. to live and to cohabitate. thank you. applause. soa applause. so a standing ovation for the cata la n so a standing ovation for the catalan president carles puigdemont

ina long catalan president carles puigdemont in a long speech, the start of which he condemned spanish actions for provoking chaos, critical not only of the spanish government trying to disrupt that referendum on october one, critical also of the spanish king for his intervention. butjust before the real meat of this speech he said the relationship with spain is unsustainable. he then went on to say that the referendum itself was legitimate and reflected the will of the catalan people. and then this crucial line from the catalan president at this historic moment and as president of the catalan state i ask for the mandate to make catalonia and independent republic. the actual phrase independent used by him. there was then a standing ovation, i presume from the majority of the catalan parliament. those who support him and he has the majority here, and then he went on to say

that normally given the results of this 48 hours would be necessary to pass this was a vote. but then the chamber of 135 members went slightly quieter. because carles puigdemont went on to state we propose that the be suspended to allow for dialogue. we propose some weeks of dialogue and negotiation. he called on the responsibility of everyone and also for the catalans to continue to express themselves. with freedom and respect. he then went on to say that the catalan government today stretches out a hand for dialogue, for us and will not stop. so as predicted by many sources here in the run—up to this announcement today, he has declared independence of sorts. but not with immediate

effect, it is not unilateral declaration of independence. the trajectory is there, he says the mandate of the catalan people is there. but what he's doing is suspending the full declaration of independence on till dialogue with other parties are concerned. it is an interesting position to take, it will be fascinating to see how madrid responds to this statement by the catalan president. tom burridge has been following this story for months. what you make of this? i think the incredible game of cat and mouse between the madrid government and catalan devolved government continues. that has been the tactic all along from the catalan government, putting threats on the table, speaking to the likes of us and saying i will go ahead and declare independence come what may. i will hold that referendum even though it was declared illegal by the spanish state. now he's

basically saying i'm going to still declare independence from spain but giving them some time, giving them a window basically where they can in theory be going through mediation. there are efforts tonight by an international organisation, not a state or government i do not think, i think we're talking about maybe from sources i've spoken to, about an international organisation involving very senior former international political figures. but for madrid, following this speech closely, the phrase at this historic moment and as president of the cata la n moment and as president of the catalan state i ask for them mandate to make catalonia and independent republic. it could not be clearer about what is intended. and he has said it, he used the word, an independent republic. that is right, ina independent republic. that is right, in a sense his stark warning

somewhat changed and colleagues just down the road from here, whether a thousands of pro—independence supporters watching the screen and they said when he came out but that kind of language which is quite stark, a massive cheer went up. then the sort of language to qualify actually what he meant and things went a bit calmer. so he will be still under pressure from not only his own party but other pro independence catalan parties which she depends on for a majority in the parliament, to keep this project going. he has kind of given them may be enough, but is there patients going to run out and then of course there's the other dimension of this, there's the other dimension of this, the spanish government in madrid. let's go to damian who joins us from madrid. will those nuances be a cce pta ble madrid. will those nuances be acceptable to madrid? the short a nswer acceptable to madrid? the short answer is no, absolutely not. this speech has been watched absolutely

minute by minute here. we'rejust outside the parliament. inside people were watching, deputies, even security guards had it on their screens watching what was said and following it. ithink screens watching what was said and following it. i think the government will view this as a fudge, it is not the declaration of independence, it is as you were saying, carles puigdemont asking for the mandate and saying he wants to delay that. they will still say i'm pretty sure from what we heard talking to deputies here earlier, that that is unacceptable in their view. what they will say is that what carles puigdemont is attempting to do, call ita puigdemont is attempting to do, call it a referendum that was ruled illegal, hold a referendum that was ruled illegal, use the basis of that referendum which did not even have a majority of people in catalonia boating because turnout was only just over 40%, use that as a way to try to force some negotiations and

all along the spanish government has said it will not have, it will not sit and talk with the government, original government that is acting illegally and placing itself beyond the law. they have several possible steps to take, i think it has been made —— made a bit more difficult for the government in spain because he has not gone as far as actually making a declaration. 0ne he has not gone as far as actually making a declaration. one step if they can go to to court to seek to annul the declaration, he has not done that so that route looks like it might be close. another route to bring legal sanctions against carles puigdemont himself. again more tricky, the third route, difficult decision for the spanish government, do they invoke the cause in the constitution that allows them to step in and imposed direct rule on catalonia, dissolve its autonomous status. article 155. it has never been used in spain and would be a drastic step. ifigured been used in spain and would be a drastic step. i figured the been used in spain and would be a drastic step. ifigured the minute the game of cat and mouse might continue but i'm sure we are likely

to see the spanish government saying is they have all along that until the cattle on authorities renounce any talk of independence that cannot sit down and talk across the table because they see this as the cata la ns because they see this as the catalans trying to force the issue and forced the spanish government to the table to talk on an equal footing and they say that is just not possible when they believe they're being blackmailed by the catalonian side. that is the language they've used. also they have been clear they do want any interlocutors or any international mediation in terms of other governments. even the catholic church had been proposed the one stage. an international body, i'm not quite sure what, but would they be prepared to open up some kind of dialogue then? i think again not is the answer. there has been a lot of pressure on the spanish government, we heard it again today from the president of the european council will task, he called on the catalans

not to take any step today that was a reversible. —— donald tusk. he also called for dialogue. but the spanish position as explained again today by deputies from the governing party, they're willing to talk about anyissues party, they're willing to talk about any issues but not with this what they view as illegal act trying to declare independence for catalonia hanging over those negotiations. what they've said was the result constitutional process that can be followed if catalonia wanted to separate from spain. that is a complicated process involving changing the constitution because the spanish constitution does not allow for any part of this country to break away. that is what lies at the heart of this dispute, that provision in the constitution. can —— catalonia could seek to change the constitution and that requires a majority in parliament, new elections to happen, a