Foreign minister calls for ‘dialogue and democratic solution’ to Catalan crisis at UN

Foreign minister, Alfred Bosch, believes that the best way out of the Catalan crisis is "dialogue and a democratic solution."

Bosch made his comments at a United Cities and Local Governments meeting on Monday, as part of a forum being hosted in New York by the UN on its global sustainable development goals.

In fact, the minister insisted that the search for a negotiated and democratic resolution to the Catalan crisis "would also be a contribution to world peace, to Agenda 2030."

Peace and justice must be "furthered," says Bosch

Bosch went on to a meeting of stateless nations, where he said democracy, justice, peace and dialogue should be "furthered", if a solution to Catalonia's political conflict with Spain is to be found.

Organized by the Quebec government, the meeting in New York was attended by representatives of such places as the Basque Country, Flanders and Wales.

In his address, Bosch stressed his government's "high commitment" to engaging with the Spanish government to find a "democratic solution" to the political conflict.

The minister reminded his audience that members of Catalonia's former government are in jail or exile for "organizing a vote," and he added ironically: "You can imagine what sort of a crime that is!"

On Wednesday morning, Bosch is due to meet with the head of the UN's Global Campaign Center, Marina Ponti, at the Catalan government's foreign office in New York.