MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar celebrates “self-determination is democracy”.

Thousands of Gibraltarians dressed in the Rock's national colours - red and white - celebrated their annual National Day last Friday September 10 under the banner ‘self-determination is democracy', reported The Gibraltar Chronicle.

As 30,000 balloons were released into the skies Peter Caruana, Chief Minister, declared that Gibraltar is happy to have good relations with Spain but not at the price of Gibraltarians giving up deciding their own future.

The celebrations mark the day in 1967 when Gibraltar held its first referendum when Spanish sovereignty was rejected. Besides a brief political rally attended by British and European Members of Parliament who support Gibraltar, most of the day saw fireworks displays, fun-fairs and concerts the highlight of which was an Elton John concert which was attended by over 10,000 people.

"We are happy to take part in talks about mutual co-operation at local level with Spain provided that it is understood that this is not as a quid pro quo for sovereignty negotiations," said Mr Caruana.

Asked after the rally about Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos telling the Spanish daily El Pais that the objective of talks would be joint sovereignty and that this was now a question of how and when, Mr Caruana put this down to Madrid having to have its own public relations exercise.

"If they want to discuss non-sovereignty issues with us we are very happy to. But they cannot accuse us of leading them up the garden path if they find that there is no sovereignty gain for them," he said. Mr Caruana also said that the British Government knows better than to revisit joint sovereignty talks, a reference to their failed attempt to strike a joint sovereignty deal with Spain over Gibraltar two years ago. In a referendum in 2002 over 99% rejected any joint-sovereignty deal.

Speaking to an estimated 12,000Gibraltarians Mr. Caruana declared the Rock their homeland and highlighted that this was also a special year since the Rock is celebrating 300 years under British sovereignty since its capture in 1704 by Admiral Sir George Rooke.

Gibraltar, he said, is a part of Britain's heritage and there had been a mutual relationship. "This is our history and we are entitled to it", he said. The future, Mr Caruana declared, belongs to the Gibraltarians. "We tell he world that this is our homeland and only we - to the exclusion of all others - can decide its future".

"If Spain genuinely wants to seek our friendship, if Spain genuinely and sincerely wants to respect us as a people with our rights, if Spain wants to respect our wishes and deal with us as civilised, friendly European neighbours, we will respond positively."

"None of this can be bought by others in exchange for our sovereignty, or in exchange for our right to self-determination. That is out of the question," he highlighted. A week ago Mr. Moratinos and his British counterpart Jack Straw announced they will be meeting in October to discuss Gibraltar although not as part of the formal ‘Brussels' process agreed in 1984.

Photo by Jim Watt www.gibnet.com