MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar: Breaking News.

Caruana re-states conditions for dialogue with Spain; Daily Mail knocks US policy; Madrid: “we've regained initiative”; Freedom of the City for Royal Navy; Nude Spanish model “conquers” Gibraltar.

Caruana re-states conditions for dialogue with Spain.

Gibraltar Government will only take part in dialogue with Spain on a two flags three voices basis and as long as there can be "no agreement over our heads on any issue affecting the Rock, and not just on sovereignty", stated Chief Minister Peter Caruana. Speaking to the Gibraltar Chronicle Mr. Caruana welcomed the recent article in the Madrid daily ?El Pais' by Spanish Foreign Secretary Miguel Angel Moratinos as "conciliatory in tone" and containing "the essence of a change of approach." He also noted a predisposition for dialogue for purposes other than on sovereignty issues, and reiterated the Gibraltar Government's well known position on the conditions for "safe dialogue" which, he said, "are very explicitly clear from our unchanging position over the last eight years." Mr. Caruana declared the Gibraltar Government would be a willing interlocutor as long as the dialogue that Spain proposed was based on "respect for our rights and aspirations as a people," and not aimed at "a transfer of sovereignty of Gibraltar to Spain." Meanwhile Mr. Caruana also dismissed as "mischievous," suggestions that Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon's parting comments regarding the changes in the relationship between Britain and Gibraltar in the last 40 years, and the implications to the Rock of the EU enlargement, should be read as having any sovereignty implications for the Rock. "The EU enlargement has had and will have implications for everyone in Europe including Gibraltar," added Mr. Caruana.

Daily Mail knocks US policy.

Scrapped plans for United States Navy destroyer "USS McFaul" to dock in Gibraltar in time for the August 4 Tercentenary came under fire from the "Daily Mail" during the weekend. The newspaper said the US is more worried about offending Spain than it is about snubbing Britain. The Daily Mail mocked the destroyer's motto ?Courage, Honour, Sacrifice' adding that the ship had ?steamed off over the nearest horizon at the first sign of displeasure from Madrid'. The paper's leader said the Gibraltar Government was ?shocked and disappointed' but that the British Government was ?gutless' for not having protested. "Despite our cringing loyalty to Washington," says the paper, "and despite our far older alliance, the US government is more worried about offending Spain than it is about snubbing Britain."

Madrid: "we've regained initiative"

Spain's new PSOE Government believes it has recovered the political initiative on the "controversial issue of Gibraltar," following the article written by Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos in the national daily El Pais, according to a report in Europa Press. In the article the Minister said Spain would "look to the future" to overcome recent differences with Britain regarding the Rock. Spanish diplomatic sources quoted by Europa Press, said the ideas expressed by Mr. Moratinos have been well received both in Britain and in Gibraltar where Chief Minister Peter Caruana had reportedly praised the "new constructive and brave approach" by the Spanish Minister, to achieve a formula for dialogue so that Gibraltarians can participate in the negotiations. The same sources added that Britain has nothing to gain from its participation in the "outdated" Rock Tercentenary celebrations. Meanwhile the article states that Spain has welcomed the "wise" US decision not to take part in the local celebrations and divert the vessel USS McFaul to the Rota base instead. Europa Press also quotes Mr Caruana as accusing Washington of having carried out "a cowardly snub on Gibraltar" in the face of Spanish pressures. USS McFaul was expected in Gibraltar to take part in the celebrations alongside the HMS Grafton to commemorate the Rock's capture by a combined Anglo-Dutch fleet. August 4 1704. As regards future talks Europa Press said: "At present there are no plans for top level meetings between the UK and Spanish Governments to discuss Gibraltar and both sides have opted to wait until the dust settles to deal with the question in a calm atmosphere. There is no date for a resumption of formal talks under Brussels because specific issues which will be discussed require preparatory work that is not expected to commence before the end of August." Meanwhile a top Spanish Foreign Affairs official Bernardino León declared this week that both Britain and Spain were working to establish a new line of negotiation but admitted that there were complex elements to deal with.

Freedom of the City for Royal Navy.

Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore David White thanked the people of Gibraltar for the Freedom of the City that was bestowed on the Royal Navy during the tercentenary celebrations. Commodore White said: "The pride of the Royal Navy in being granted the Freedom of the City was more than matched by the wonderful reception we received from the people of Gibraltar. Thank you."

Nude Spanish model "conquers" Gibraltar.

Spanish glamour model and Cronicas Marcianas regular Sylvia Fominaya this week posed nude for national leisure magazine ?Interviu' supposedly from the top of the Rock of Gibraltar, wearing only a Spanish flag. Although the jury is out on whether a real photo-shoot took place at the top of the Rock or the magazine's team manipulated the image, the model appears on the cover of the magazine nude, waving the Spanish flag with the caption ?Sylvia Fominaya conquista Gibraltar'. In the article itself, the model calls for a ?prompt solution' to the Anglo-Hispanic discussions over the Rock.