Madrid Sees No Necessity in Mediator for Catalonia Negotiations – Ambassador

Spanish Ambassador to Russia Ignacio Ibanez told Sputnik in an interview that Spain would not need a mediator to start negotiations with the Catalan authorities.

"No, because for us the mediator is [only needed] in an international conflict between two different countries … In the case of Spain, we have the National Parliament, which has all the competency. From all political forces … the message is very clear – we are ready to sit and discuss, but what you have to do is to comply with the law," Ibanez said.

Moreover, the diplomat noted that if the Catalan regional government offered to engage bilateral talks in compliance with Spanish law, the central government would welcome it.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the broadcaster RTS reported, citing the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), that Switzerland was ready to provide a platform for negotiations between Spanish authorities and the Catalan government, and that the Swiss authorities were "in contact with both sides." The Spanish authorities have denied these reports.

Catalonia's independence referendum, which is not recognized by the Spanish authorities, was held last Sunday. The official results of the referendum showed that 90.18 percent of voters, or more than 2 million people, favored the secession of Catalonia from Spain, with the turnout exceeding 43 percent. On Tuesday, Spanish King Felipe VI said that the actions of the Catalan government were illegal, accusing it of "inadmissible disloyalty."