Regional premier Carles Puigdemont has pulled back from the brink of a full-blown unilateral declaration of independence for Catalonia last night, requesting a last minute series of negotiations be started to resolve the crisis.

“Thanks to the results of the referendum of 1 October, Catalonia has earned the right to be an independent state,” Mr Puigdemont told the region’s parliament in Barcelona.

“If everybody acts responsibly, this conflict can be resolved calmly. It won’t be us that prevents that from happening.”

Watched by over 1,000 different accredited media outlets, more than 300 foreign – a double all-time record for the Catalan parliament – and by Spanish premier Mariano Rajoy from his official residence in Madrid, Mr Puigdemont said: “We are reaching out in the hope of dialogue.”

“I ask the citizens of Catalonia to continue to express themselves in a civilized, peaceful way, the parties to contribute with their words to lessen the tension and the Spanish government to renounce its repressive tactics,” he added.

However, Mr Puigdemont’s failure to declare full-blown formal independence visibly disappointed his hard-left CUP allies, vital for maintaining his narrow pro-nationalist majority in parliament and who were gunning for an immediate break from Spain.

The parliamentary was delayed by over an hour reportedly as the CUP expressed their dissent to Mr Puigdemont and they remained seated and did not applaud at the end of his speech. Its youth branch later reportedly described the speech as “unacceptable act of traitorship.”

“You can’t suspend a declaration of independence you haven’t made,” the Catalan Socialist Party leader, Miquel Iceta, added after Mr Puigdemont had spoken. “It’s an insult to common sense,” tweeted Catalonia’s Partido Popular party.

Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Show all 17 1 /17 Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man faces off Spanish Civil Guards outside a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police form a security cordon around the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police evict a young woman during clashes between people gathered outside the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish Civil Guard officers break through a door at a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish National Police clash with pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona on Sunday AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Crowds raise their arms up as police move in on members of the public gathered outside to prevent them from voting in the referendum at a polling station where the President Carles Puigdemunt will vote later today Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters People confront Spanish Civil Guard officers outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Three man hold each other as they try to block a Spanish police van from approaching a polling station AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A woman shows a ballot to a Spanish Civil Guard officer outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man wearing a shirt with an Estelada (Catalan separatist flag) and holding carnations faces off with a Spanish Civil Guard officer Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Police try to control the area as people attempt to cast their ballot at a polling station in Barcelona Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man is grabbed by officers as police move in on the crowds Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Two women argue with a Spanish National policeman during clashes between Catalan pro-independence people and police forces at the Sant Julia de Ramis sports centre in Girona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Sant Julia De Ramis in Spain Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Confrontation outside a polling station in Barcelona, where police have tried to stop people voting AFP/Getty Images Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A Spanish National Police officer aims a rubber-bullet rifle at pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police clashed with voters as polls opened in Barcelona Sky News