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Reform is matter for “Gibraltar and Britain, only” ; Gibraltar to challenge single sky exclusion; Euro-vote Bill for June EU elections.-

Reform is matter for "Gibraltar and Britain, only

Dialogue on the House of Assembly proposals for Gibraltar's Constitutional reform is a matter for two parties ? Gibraltar and Britain. That was the message from Gibraltar Governor Sir Francis Richards to an audience of local business personalities.

Highlighting that Gibraltar consent remains the principle for talks with Spain, Sir Francis also rejected speculation that any rift exists between himself and Peter Caruana Chief Minister.

Gibraltar, said Sir Francis, is in every sense a mature society, and "it is right and proper that any such society should aspire to more control over its own affairs."

He said it is those kinds of aspirations which are reflected in the constitutional proposals which the Chief Minister forwarded to the British Government on behalf of the whole House of Assembly last year.

"I do not yet know how the British Government will respond. But I do know that the British Government is entirely free of neo-imperialist fantasies, and I see no desire in London to hold on to responsibilities which can be carried out as well or better by Gibraltarians here. They want ? we all want - a modern relationship."

"But for Gibraltar - as for all our Overseas Territories where London bears responsibilities - London will want to retain the powers necessary to discharge them. And for as long as Gibraltar's sovereignty is disputed and access to the full benefits of EU membership is under challenge, there are some responsibilities which I do not believe that you would want Britain to relinquish."

Sir Francis said he doubted that there will be much disagreement between the governments of Britain and Gibraltar about the overall direction in which Gibraltar's constitutional arrangements should travel. "But there will have to be a serious discussion about how far and how fast progress can be made in that direction in the immediate future".

On dialogue with Spain Sir Francis said he had read suggestions in the press that the Chief Minister's statements to the effect that joint sovereignty does not represent a basis for early progress in dialogue with Spain, and the British Prime Minister's statements that dialogue on the search for a better future for Gibraltar should continue are evidence of some fundamental disagreement between the two.

"They are nothing of the kind. Both governments are, in principle, ready to talk. And both are agreed that no lasting settlement can be achieved on any basis unacceptable to the people of Gibraltar. As the pace of the Spanish election campaign increases in the weeks ahead, you can expect to read many more exciting and misleading headlines. Treat them with a healthy dose of scepticism," said Sir Francis.

And he rejected speculation about a huge gulf which is said to exist between him and the Chief Minister.

You can safely ignore that too. I work very closely with the Chief Minister. I very much enjoy doing so. And I intend to go on working very closely with him for as long as I am in Gibraltar, as I am convinced that that is how the two of us can best serve Gibraltar's interests. We shall not always agree ? we should not be doing our respective jobs if we did. But I know that he will be as committed as I am to resolving any differences in a way that safeguards the great partnership whose tercentenary we celebrate this year

Gibraltar to challenge single sky exclusion

Gibraltar Chief Minister Peter Caruana confirmed that, subject to legal advice, the Government will press ahead in legal action against the exclusion of Gibraltar from the single sky system adopted in the European Parliament.

It will be some time before action can be contemplated because the measure must be in place before it can be challenged. But the issue for Gibraltar is one of principle rather than practical impact.

Leaving Gibraltar out of the Single Sky, as Britain and Spain agreed to do because of the sovereignty dispute, affects the way Gibraltar is defined in Europe. This measure is distinct from the Open Skies policy but one of several air measures that are affected by the isthmus sovereignty row.

Last week the European Parliament adopted a conciliation agreement between Parliament and Council that paves the way for a single system of air traffic control in Europe, known as the Single Sky. The agreement is said to lead to better safety conditions for air travel as well as ensuring that Europe's airspace is used more efficiently. It also takes account of the needs of all users, both civil and military. The Gibraltar dispute was a factor in the delay over implementation

Euro-vote Bill for June EU elections

Gibraltar Government published the European Parliamentary Elections Bill 2004. This is a part of the legislative framework to provide for Gibraltar's participation in June's European Parliamentary Elections.

A Gibraltar Government statement explained that the rest of the legislative framework is contained in UK primary and subsidiary legislation. This Gibraltar Bill makes provision amongst other things, for the regulation of European electoral broadcasts, the role of local courts, and the production and administration of the electoral register in connection with European Elections.

"As the Gibraltar Government has made publicly clear from the outset it was politically important for Gibraltar not just that people should get the right to vote in euro elections, but that the right to vote should be linked to and exercised in the context of our territorial rights and constitutional institutions." said Peter Caruana, Chief Minister.

"The legislative package, which has been the subject of lengthy and intense discussions with the Lord Chancellor's Department (Department for Constitutional Affairs), achieves that.

Gibraltarians are not voting as if they were residents of Cornwall. Gibraltar will be voting as part of a combined constituency comprising the territories of Gibraltar and the South West Region of the United Kingdom. In addition the legislation acknowledges a proper role in the election process for our principal constitutional institutions, namely our legislature, our courts and our public administration", concluded Mr. Caruana.