High Level Gibraltar Talks On Hold Until May

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

11 April 2002

The Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Pique announced on Tuesday that the next round of high-level Anglo-Spanish talks over the future of Gibraltar, due to be held in early April, will now be delayed until May.

Mr Pique, speaking at a seminar on EU issues, said that although junior ministers from the two countries will meet in April for further discussion on the issue, he and his British counterpart, Jack Straw will not meet until next month. He gave no indication as to the cause of the delay.

The Spanish Foreign Minister revealed that the talks, which have been boycotted by Gibraltar's Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, are going 'reasonably well', and expressed the desire to reach an agreement with the United Kingdom over Gibraltarian sovereignty by the summer.

This, the Minister argued, is necessary because the UK and Spain: 'cannot maintain an anachronism such as the existence of a colony in a European territory, in the territory of a country which is a partner, ally, and friend of the colonising country.' He continued: 'The two governments have an historical responsibility...to resolve this disute as soon as possible.'

However, a recent survey conducted by a Spanish newspaper has complicated the matter somewhat. Although the residents of the Rock have historically been opposed to Spanish sovereignty - as demonstrated by the high levels of attendance at a mass demonstration last month - it has emerged that a significant portion of the Spanish population may also be opposed to the Anglo-Spanish negotiations.

The poll, undertaken by La Vanguardia, revealed that 41% of Spaniards questioned were in favour of granting the region some form of independence, demonstrating a major shift in public opinion from previous surveys.

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