The Latest: Germany views Catalonia still as a Spanish issue
Carles Puigdemont
12:30 p.m.
Fugitive Catalan former leader Carles Puigdemont  says that  he âs ready to meet Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in any European Union location but in Spain  where  he âs facing arrest.
Speaking Friday to reporters in Brussels  where he fled evading a Spanish judicial probe into his recent attempt to split Catalonia from Spain   Puigdemont  said that Thursdayâs regional election opened âa new eraâ for the region.
 Puigdemont  says that  he  wants guarantees to return to Catalonia and be reinstated as the regionâs leader. As the most voted candidate among separatists   he  could be chosen to lead a new pro-independence coalition depending on how negotiations with other parties go.
Eight of the separatist lawmakers elected  including ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and his no. 2 Oriol Junqueras  are either in jail or are fugitives from Spanish justice in Brussels following the October secession bid.
Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont  who campaigned from Belgium where he is evading a Spanish judicial probe into his recent attempt to split Catalonia from Spain  is also scheduled to speak.
[TGT] 
says that   [TGT]  âs ready to meet Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in any European Union location but in Spain  where   [TGT]  âs facing arrest.
Speaking Friday to reporters in Brussels  where he fled evading a Spanish judicial probe into his recent attempt to split Catalonia from Spain   Puigdemont  said that Thursdayâs regional election opened âa new eraâ for the region.
 Puigdemont  says that  he  wants guarantees to return to Catalonia and be reinstated as the regionâs leader. As the most voted candidate among separatists   he  could be chosen to lead a new pro-independence coalition depending on how negotiations with other parties go.
Eight of the separatist lawmakers elected  including ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and his no. 2 Oriol Junqueras  are either in jail or are fugitives from Spanish justice in Brussels following the October secession bid.
Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont  who campaigned from Belgium where he is evading a Spanish judicial probe into his recent attempt to split Catalonia from Spain  is also scheduled to speak.