The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): My right honourable
friend the Foreign Secretary (Mr
Jack Straw) visited Madrid for bilateral talks with his
Spanish counterpart,
Miguel Angel
Moratinos, on 27 October. The following joint statement was
agreed at this meeting.
"The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Spain and the United
Kingdom, Miguel Angel Moratinos and Jack Straw, have met in
Madrid on 27 October 2004. During their meeting they discussed
Gibraltar.
The Ministers have agreed to consider and consult further on how
to establish a new forum for dialogue on Gibraltar, with an open
agenda, in which Gibraltar would have its own voice. The
modalities for this dialogue will be agreed by all the concerned
parties.
Minister Straw welcomes the decision of the
Spanish Government to
promote local co-operation between Gibraltar and its surrounding
area. Both Ministers are glad about the establishment of a Joint
Committee Gibraltar
Government-Mancomunidad
del Campo de Gibraltar to promote the identification and
implementation of mutually beneficial local co-operation
projects and wish to set out their support for this initiative
because of its intrinsic value and the confidence-building
atmosphere that it could create.
It is understood that for the Spanish Government this local
co-operation is within the objectives of the Spanish Government
in relation to the sovereignty of Gibraltar.
It is also understood that the British Government fully
maintains its commitment to honour the wishes of the people of
Gibraltar as set out in the preamble of the 1969 Constitution.
In the Annex are set out several co-operation measures to
facilitate the start of the work of the previously mentioned
forum.
Annex
To explore the possibilities to reach an agreement on the
airport of Gibraltar under a formula acceptable to all parties.
To allow the inclusion of Spanish airports as alternative
airports in the flight plans whose final destination is the
airport of Gibraltar.
To establish a technical working party to examine and to
exchange information on the pensions issue of Spanish ex-workers
in Gibraltar, without prejudice to any outcome in respect
thereof.
The Spanish Government shall allow calls at Spanish ports of all
pleasure cruise liners having the port of Gibraltar as a
previous or subsequent port of call, without any restriction".
The Foreign Secretary was in contact with the Chief Minister of
Gibraltar,
Peter Caruana, throughout these discussions. The Chief
Minister authorised us to say that he was "entirely content"
with the terms of the joint press release.
Source:
Hansard Publications.
Related Link:
Statement in House of Assembly By the
Chief Minister The Hon Peter Caruana QC on the 1st November 2004
