MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Gibraltar smear denied
The Foreign Office in London has denied accusations by Gibraltar that it has attempted to smear the territory's reputation as an international financial centre, in efforts to exert pressure for a sovereignty-sharing deal with Spain.
This latest controversy arose after reports that the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, was pressing the Gibraltar Government to release its accounts and economic statistics, amid allegations that Gibraltar had become a centre for money-laundering.
Gibraltar's London representative, Albert Poggio, said British ministers had been expected "to start playing dirty in an attempt to discredit Gibraltar in the eyes of the British people. It is another attempt to force Gibraltar into negotiations about surrendering sovereignty to Spain". He urged the British Government to play fair and not resort to cheap smears.
Members of Parliament joined in the criticism, led by the Labour MP, Lindsay Hoyle, chairman of the House of Commons All-Party Gibraltar Group, who criticised Foreign Office "scaremongering and malicious rumours".
He said: "It is unfortunate that we have descended to this level of gutter innuendo against Gibraltar. These reports about Gibraltar's finances and allegations of money laundering make no reference to the fact that there are similar tax regimes in Britain's offshore Islands of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man".
The Opposition Conservative Party Foreign Affairs spokesman, Michael Ancram, said the Government should stop seeking to intimidate the people of Gibraltar".
The Foreign Office confirmed that Mr. Straw had asked Gibraltar why it had not published certain economic statistics but denied trying to smear the territory. "There is no campaign to blacken Gibraltar's name", said an FCO spokesman. "But there is a campaign to secure a better future for its residents".
British public support for Gibraltar The Daily Mail newspaper attacked what it called the Foreign Office's shoddy smear campaign to bully its residents to accept a handover to Spain. "How ironic", the newspaper says. "While Britain enthusiastically celebrates the Queen's 50-year reign, her Government is pursuing a squalid campaign to deny Gibraltarians their fervent wish to remain her loyal subjects".
Meanwhile there has been massive support from the people of Britain in response to Gibraltar's vigorous advertising campaign against any surrender of sovereignty to Spain. More than 160,000 have replied to its appeal, and Gibraltar is building up a fund of several million pounds to continue its campaign.
Gibraltar's Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, is reported to be planning to sabotage any Anglo-Spanish deal by holding a snap referendum. He believes an overwhelming vote by the people of Gibraltar would halt any deal in its tracks.
The Gibraltar fight-back is a reminder of past campaigns by Falkland Islands supporters in the United Kingdom when Falklands' sovereignty has come under threat from Argentina. As Islanders celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Argentine surrender in 1982, Falkland Islands supporters say Gibraltar's fears reinforce the need for vigilance.
Gibraltar's advertisements ask the British public to express support by writing or e-mailing the Gibraltar Government Office, Arundel Great Court, 179 Strand, London WC2R 1EH.Email: info@gibraltar.gov.uk.
Harold Briley, London
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