Britain And Spain Reach Final Agreement Over Gibraltar?

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

28 February 2002

There have been conflicting reports in the Gibraltarian media over the conclusion of the Anglo-Spanish talks on sovereignty.

Local news service, Panorama, stated in a report published on Wednesday that British and Spanish officials have agreed the final terms for the Declaration of Principles, widely condemned on the Rock as a 'done deal'. According to Panorama, the agreements reached by the two countries over sovereignty and military issues will be unveiled at a ministerial meeting some time around Easter.

The newspaper reported that the UK has urged Spain to consider the Irish example over ownership of the disputed territory - under the Good Friday agreement, Dublin dropped its formal claim to Northern Ireland and accepted a policy of consent. Although the British are said to be keen to promote the policy of joint sovereignty as a long-term solution, 'Spain wants what it can grab, so long as the door is not closed to full sovereignty,' according to Panorama.

However, according to reports in Iberia News, another Gibraltar based news service, pressure exerted in the UK Parliament has led the Government to consider delaying the conclusion of talks, following concerns that without local cooperation and the consent of the Gibraltarian Government, it would be impossible to hold a referendum on the Anglo-Spanish proposals.

One thing is certain, however, and that is that opposition to the 'done deal' aspect of the agreement is hotting up. The Government confirmed this week that a mass demonstration will be held in Gibraltar on March 18, and called on the people of Gibraltar to: 'massively express their opposition to such a 'done deal' involving lasting, in principle sovereignty concessions to Spain against our wishes'.

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