Catalonia's regional head of government Pere Aragones poses during an interview at Palau de la Generalitat in Barcelona, Spain, June 14, 2021. REUTERS/ Albert Gea
BARCELONA (Reuters) - A pardon for jailed Catalan separatist leaders would be a welcome "first step", but the path to resolving the region's political conflict with Madrid lies through talks on allowing a vote on independence, the head of the regional government said.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has indicated in recent weeks he is preparing to pardon 12 Catalan separatists sentenced over their role in a failed independence bid in 2017, nine of whom are in jail.
