Catalan leader's letter doesn't clarify independence status

October 16, 2017 at 3:52 a.m. | Updated October 16, 2017 at 3:53 a.m.

by Associated Press

Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont addresses to the media after a ceremony commemorating the 77th anniversary of the death of Catalan leader Lluis Companys at the Montjuic Cemetery in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017. Catalonia's president is facing a critical decision that could determine the course of the region's secessionist movement to break away from Spain. The Spanish government has given Carles Puigdemont until Monday morning to clarify if he did or didn't actually declare independence earlier this week.(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont addresses to the media after a ceremony commemorating the 77th anniversary of the death of Catalan leader Lluis Companys at the Montjuic Cemetery in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017. Catalonia's president is facing a critical decision that could determine the course of the region's secessionist movement to break away from Spain. The Spanish government has given Carles Puigdemont until Monday morning to clarify if he did or didn't actually declare independence earlier this week.(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Catalonia's leader hasn't clarified whether he declared independence from Spain in a letter to the central government and has renewed a call for dialogue.

Last week, Spain had set a Monday deadline for Carles Puigdemont to explicitly say whether or not he proclaimed that Catalonia was breaking away from Spain.

Puigdemont held a banned independence referendum on Oct. 1 and then made an ambiguous declaration of independence last week. He then immediately suspended the declaration to allow time for talks and mediation.

In Monday's letter, Puigdemont didn't answer "yes" or "no" to the question "have you declared independence in Catalonia" as demanded by the Spanish government. He called for two months of dialogue and requested that Spanish authorities halt "all repression" in Catalonia.

Upcoming Events