Gibraltar: update meetings by Foreign Secretary.

Tuesday, February 5th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

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STATEMENT GIVEN BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, JACK STRAW, TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, LONDON, TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2002

Yesterday I met the Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Piqué. We held the third in a series of meetings under the Brussels process. A copy of the joint communiqué from yesterday's meeting has been placed in the Library. At every stage we have kept the House fully informed of the process of the negotiations, including in a three-hour debate in Government time last Thursday in Westminster Hall. A further meeting under the Brussels process is due to be held within the next two months. The date is yet to be fixed.

There are four aspects to the approach that we have adopted: preserving Gibraltar's unique way of life; greater internal self-government for Gibraltar; practical benefits through co-operation and putting the long-running dispute about sovereignty to rest.

I am convinced that this dialogue represents the best way forward for the people of Gibraltar as well as for Spain and the United Kingdom. It must be better to try to settle differences through dialogue, and I am convinced that the people of Gibraltar have more to gain than to lose from the process. Moreover, they will not lose their British citizenship nor their traditional way of life. However, they will gain greater self-government and many practical benefits of a much more co-operative relationship with Spain and its people.

I underline the commitment that any proposals affecting the sovereignty of Gibraltar will not and cannot be put into effect without the consent of the people of Gibraltar in a referendum.

I want the Government of Gibraltar to be directly involved in the Brussels round talks. Yesterday, the British and Spanish Governments reiterated our invitation to Chief Minister Caruana to participate in the discussions on the basis of the two flags, three voices formula, in which he would have his own distinct voice as part of the British delegation.

Lastly, there is nothing inevitable about the outcome of the discussions, but it is in all our interests to make a constructive effort to find a lasting solution to the problems ? above all, one which we believe will be in the interests of the people of Gibraltar.

JOINT COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UK AND SPAIN FOLLOWING THE BRUSSELS PROCESS MINISTERIAL MEETING, M

Categories: Falkland Islands.

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