MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain has a “fluid dialogue” with UK on Gibraltar, says Rodriguez Zapatero

The Spanish president met with PM Cameron in London

President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Wednesday in London Spain has a “fluid dialogue” with Britain in relation to the future of Gibraltar and anticipated fresh contacts “to maintain the spirit of constructive dialogue that we want”.

Speaking to the press at the conclusion of his meeting in London with Prime Minister David Cameron, Rodriguez Zapatero declared that those contacts will be held over the next few days adding that Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez will shortly be meeting her British counterpart William Hague.

It is understood Gibraltar did not feature during the meeting which was dominated by economic issues related to the second Greek bailout, the tragic events in Norway, the NATO campaign in Libya and the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa.

It also emerged that trade between Britain and Spain already exceeds £30b per annum but both are keen to develop commercial links further through new joint business initiatives that will be announced in the autumn.

In related news British Minister for Europe David Lidington met Chief Minister of Gibraltar Peter Caruana in London on Wednesday 27 July and reaffirmed UK continuing commitment to the exclusive British sovereignty of Gibraltar and British Gibraltar territorial waters.

“The Chief Minister of Gibraltar and I had a constructive meeting this afternoon. We considered a range of issues, including making best use of the Trilateral process between Gibraltar, Spain and the UK for all parties”, said Minister Lidington.

Chief Minister Caruana on leaving for London said he would be discussing a number of current issues, including the appeal by both Governments in the European Court Waters Case.

The two governments are appealing an EU decision that gives Spain more rights over Gibraltar waters. The two countries have been in conflict over the area for two years since the European Commission agreed the area could be listed as a Spanish conservation zone (SCI).

The ‘Estrecho Oriental’ area is partly within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and an existing UK SCI, the Southern Waters of Gibraltar.

While the UK’s legal case failed in May, Foreign Secretary William Hague anticipated London would appeal the ruling.