Aranese political leaders yesterday said that an eventual Catalan statehood could help the recognition of the national character of the Aran Valley. Aran is an Occitan-speaking territory in north-western Catalonia that currently enjoys a limited degree of self-government within the Catalan autonomous community.

The mayor of Aran's capital Vielha, Àlex Moga, considers that the current process of Catalan demand for self-determination and statehood "opens a possibility for the national recognition" of Aran within Catalonia. On the other hand, the síndic (prime minister) of Aran, Carlos Barrera, links "a future of hope and progress" for Aran to that of Catalonia.

Aranese leaders declared this after a meeting they held with representatives of the Association of Municipalities for Independence (AMI, Catalan acronym), an organization pushing for full sovereignty of Catalonia. AMI has asked the Aranese mayors to join the association.

[[FitxaOccitaniaEn]]