The President of the autonomous Basque region of Spain, Mr Juan Jose Ibarretxe, has warned Spain to open talks with the Basque government on independence for the region or to face the prospect of a referendum on the matter.
The Prime Minister of Spain, Mr Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, yesterday rejected a proposal to grant virtual independence to the region after meeting with Mr Ibarretxe.
The proposal seeks to amend Spain's 1979 charter giving the region broad autonomy by transforming the Basque region into a "free state" associated with Spain. The region would have its own court system and send representatives to international bodies, such as the European Union, under the plan.
However, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, said Mr Zapatero thought the plan would be "a mistake" and would "lead to a dead end." She also claimed it would "divide citizens, Basque people and Spanish people."
"While Zapatero is prime minister of Spain, the plan will never be approved, thus never be applied," she added.
The Basque parliament approved the proposal on December 30th and Spain's Parliament is to debate it in March.
However, Mr Zapatero's Socialists and the main opposition Popular Party both oppose it, virtually assuring its rejection by lawmakers.
The Spanish government says the plan is a step toward secession, and the Spanish constitution bars the country's regions from breaking away from Spain.
The Basque region, a three-province area in the north that shares a short border with France and is home to 2.2 million people, is also one of Spain's richest. It traditionally was an industrial powerhouse, with mines, steel mills, shipyards and powerful banks.