MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tories reiterate Gibraltar policy to Rajoy

Conservative policy on Gibraltar remains unchanged and this was the position put to the leader of Spanish Partido Popular Mariano Rajoy by Michael Howard the Tory leader.

Mr. Rajoy who is running as the ruling party candidate for the coming Spanish general election next March met Mr. Howard during a brief visit to London and after holding talks with British Primer Minister Tony Blair.

According to a spokesperson Mr Howard had reiterated the Conservative position expressed last year by Michael Ancram, shadow Foreign minister who accused the Prime Minister of having tried to betray the people of Gibraltar with a "secret deal to share sovereignty with Spain".

If Mr Blair had any honour he would accept the clear verdict of the people of Gibraltar of November 2002 and "ditch this unworthy agreement forever".

Mr. Howard insisted the Conservatives would not abandon the people of Gibraltar and would not be bound by any constitutional agreement between the government of Britain and Spain which does not have the full democratic consent of the people of Gibraltar.

Loss of Gibraltar conference

Meanwhile in the neighbouring municipalities of Gibraltar a special event is being organized for next October under the title of "Loss of Gibraltar International Conference".

Mancomunidad de Municipios President Juan Montedeoca said the event will be jointly organised by the Ayuntamientos of San Roque, La Linea, Algeciras and Los Barrios and sponsored by the Cadiz Assembly with the participation of distinguished historians and academics.

One of the highlights of the event extending October 21-24, will be the display of a 1704 painting of the Anglo-Dutch invasion of Gibraltar by Paulus Decker on loan from the Madrid Maritime Museum.