Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Friday that the nation's main parties have reached an agreement to defend national "unity" in the face of an independence drive in the northwestern region of Catalonia.

"We are all in agreement, the majority (of parties) on the fundamentals," he told a news conference after meeting with opposition party leaders to discuss the separatist challenge.

"Unity of Spain, national sovereignty, equality of rights and duties of all Spaniards, the respect of laws," he added.