Too little, too late?

Spain yesterday apologised for a violent police crackdown on Catalonia's independence referendum, in a conciliatory gesture as both sides looked for a way out of the nation's worst political crisis since it became a democracy four decades ago.

Spain's representative in northeast Catalonia, which accounts for a fifth of the national economy, made the apology just as Catalonia's secessionist leader appeared to inch away from a plan to declare independence as early as Monday.

"When I see these images, and more so when I know people have been hit, pushed and even one person who was hospitalised, I can't help but regret it and apologise on behalf of the officers that intervened," Enric Millo said in a television interview.

Meanwhile, Spain's government also urged Catalonia to hold a regional election to settle the political crisis sparked by Catalan separatist leaders' drive for independence, reported AFP.

"It would be good to start mending this fracture... through regional elections," government spokesman Ignacio Mendez de Vigo told a news conference.

Spanish police used batons and rubber bullets to stop people voting in Sunday's referendum, which Madrid had banned as unconstitutional. The scenes brought worldwide condemnation, reported Reuters.

Moments earlier, a Catalan parliament spokeswoman said the regional government's leader, Carles Puigdemont, had asked to address lawmakers on Tuesday, in timing that appeared at odds with earlier plans to move an independence motion on Monday.

Puigdemont wanted to speak on the "political situation".

The softer tone contrasted with remarks earlier yesterday from Catalonia's head of foreign affairs who told BBC radio it would go ahead with an independence debate in the regional parliament.

Meanwhile, Catalonia's police chief and two prominent separatist leaders avoided being remanded in custody at a court hearing yesterday over sedition accusations linked to the region's independence bid.

The court summons raised tensions in Spain's volatile political conflict, but despite the gravity of the accusations the court did not issue a custodial order that could have further escalated the dispute.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has offered all-party political talks to find a solution, opening the door to a deal giving Catalonia more autonomy. But he has ruled out independence and rejected a Catalan proposal for international mediation.

Spanish ruling-party lawmakers say Rajoy is considering invoking the constitution to dissolve the regional parliament and force fresh Catalan elections if the region's government goes ahead with an independence declaration.