If nothing else gets in the way, there is an agreement between Spanish and Catalan governments on a date to constitute their bilateral dialogue table: next Wednesday, February 26th. After the inability to meet on Monday, prime minister Pedro Sánchez has accepted one of the alternative dates proposed by president Quim Torra in a letter this Thursday morning. He responded with another letter. As planned, the constitution of the negotiation table between Spain and Catalonia will take place at the Moncloa palace, in Madrid. Still unknown are the names of those who will sit at the table, as well as the agenda of the first meeting.
In his letter of reply, the Spanish prime minister responded that, after the two teams had been "in permanent communication", it seemed "perfect" to be able to hold the first meeting on Wednesday 26th at the Moncloa. "We all know that dialogue is necessary and this must be the legislature that promotes it," wrote Pedro Sánchez, adding: "This is the spirit that we want to convey to this table in which all citizens have deposited so much hope." In the letter, the Socialist leader reiterates his "sincere desire to engage in dialogue and reach agreements" in order to return "to the moment when the paths separated and reasons and arguments ceased to be listened to."
Earlier, in the first letter of the day's exchange, the Catalan president had observed that proposing a meeting date through the media, without having agreed on the agenda beforehand, was not the way to show that you wanted "honest and fruitful dialogue". However, he was ready to meet as soon as possible and proposed five alternative dates to that of Monday, February 24th.
As for the content of the meeting, Torra added a list of key points. He said he wanted to discuss the exercise of the right to self-determination and the end of repression, including "amnesty and reparation". In a second point of content headed "conditions favourable for negotiation", three aspects were mentioned: the calendar, a proposal for "international mediation", and "recognition of all parties in the conflict, including prison and exile".
At present, then, the teams are still deciding the rest of the details of the dialogue table's first meeting, which should have taken place before the end of January. Only two members of the Spanish delegation are known so far: deputy prime minister Pablo Iglesias (Podemos) and universities minister Manuel Castells, another Podemos cabinet member. As well, that this first meeting will be headed by president Torra and prime minister Sánchez.
"We should start with the elements we can agree on most easily," said Pedro Sánchez on Thursday afternoon when asked about the negotiation table in Brussels. He called for generosity, responsibility and a high-minded approach, and seemed to have different priorities from the key points Torra had proposed: "The most important thing is that we talk first about issues that the two administrations are likely to be more in agreement on, not with the conclusions."