MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar: Breaking News.

Headlines :
Gibraltar should become a “normal” issue; Annual Anglo-Spanish “tertulia” in Madrid; Opposition insists with decolonization target; Gibraltar in Spanish tourism fairs; Royal Navy visits the Rock.

Gibraltar should become a "normal" issue.

"What we want is that, instead of being a continual irritant, Gibraltar becomes a normal issue that two friends and allies have to discuss," Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the Spanish Foreign Minister, told David Sharrock of The Times in an interview published last weekend. "We are not renouncing or putting aside sovereignty, but we also want to create an atmosphere that will facilitate a better understanding." He said that the first move in efforts to rebuild alliances with Britain and the United States was to lift the "siege" of Gibraltar and court Gibraltarians - a radical departure from Spain's traditional policy towards the Rock. "We are engaging in a sound and substantial re-launch of Spanish-British relations, where we have a very intensive agenda" he said, adding that "it's not just Gibraltar. It is European affairs, the transatlantic agenda and terrorism". Spain did not intend to renounce its claim of sovereignty over Gibraltar ? yet, says Sharrock who quotes Mr. Moratinos as saying: "At this stage we continue to claim sovereignty," he said, "but we have a new strategy". "We have to take into account not only the future of the land itself, but also its people, so instead of creating blocking obstacles, making them the objective of reactive policies, we prefer to foster co-operation in order that everybody in the region benefits." However Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish Opposition leader responded to the latest Anglo-Spanish statement on Gibraltar asking what benefit it can bring Spain. In what is a clearly rising but expected campaign against the new policy from the Spanish right Popular Party Mr. Rajoy also criticised the general approach being taken by the PSOE government to foreign policy. The opposition leader said he did not understand the policy announced by Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos. In a similar line Antonio Sanz, president of the Cadiz Popular Party described as a "monumental error" the plan to give Gibraltar any status as a valid interlocutor for negotiation. In a press conference he said that the change announced by the Spanish and British Foreign Ministers in Madrid "is not a positive one". Mr. Sanz expressed the hope that Spain would "rectify" its stance in future talks and attacked the current Spanish government for failing to protect the interests of the people of the Campo.

Annual Anglo-Spanish "tertulia" in Madrid.

Gibraltar and the recent Anglo-Spanish statement are expected to dominate conversation at the annual Anglo-Spanish "tertulia" being held in Madrid this week. The three day session opens on Friday and is expected to be attended by Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos as well as Britain's Europe Minister Dr Denis MacShane and his Spanish counterpart Bernardino Leon.

Opposition insists with decolonization target.

Irrespective of the amount of wooing that emanates from Madrid the priority objective for the Opposition remains the negotiation with Britain of a new constitution that decolonises Gibraltar, in which Spain plays no part. In an official statement, a GSLP/Lib spokesman declared that the measures announced relate to the removal of restrictions not to additional cooperation. An Opposition spokesman said: "The Spanish decision to remove some of the restrictions against Gibraltar is something that can do Gibraltar no harm. However, it is important to be cautious and not to get carried away; these so-called "good-will gestures" have to be placed in their proper context". "The second point is that the measures in relation to cruise liners and aircraft involve the removal of restrictions, not measures of additional cooperation. The ban on cruise liners was imposed by Mr Moratinos himself earlier this year and the ban on Gibraltar bound aircraft being diverted to a Spanish airport when unable to land at Gibraltar, has been there for a very long time. It is worth recalling that Madrid was supposed to lift all such restrictions twenty years ago when the Brussels agreement was signed." "Therefore although their removal will probably make use of the airfield more attractive and cruise calls less complicated, we should not lose sight of the fact that these measures, and others which remain in place, should never have been put there in the first place." "The primary objective for the Opposition remains the negotiation with the UK of the new decolonising Constitution for Gibraltar which was unanimously adopted by the House of Assembly in February 2002 and formally tabled before the British Government in December 2003. This provides a new international status for Gibraltar, agreed unanimously by the Government and Opposition in the House of Assembly, in which Spain plays no part. The new Constitution would seek to remove Gibraltar from the United Nations list of colonies under the so-called "Fourth Option", which provides for a tailor-made solution to decolonisation. It would be subject to approval by the people of Gibraltar in a self-determination referendum. This is and remains the priority for the Opposition. It conflicts totally with any attempt to discuss or negotiate the decolonisation of Gibraltar with Spain, and will be maintained irrespective of the amount of wooing that emanates from Madrid."

Gibraltar in Spanish tourism fairs.

Gibraltar Tourist Board participated in the Turisport 2004 tourism trade fair which was held in Sileda, Santiago de Compostela from 14th to 17th October 2004. This was the 13th edition of the exhibition. Six hundred and sixty three companies specialising in rural and activity tourism took part in the fair. A GTB spokesman said: "Our stand was located in hall number one and was one of the most visited along with Morocco, Jacobeo de Galicia and Murcia. The stand offered information on Gibraltar's tourism activities along with a CD on Gibraltar as a tourism destination. Gibraltar's stand was staffed by officers from the Gibraltar Tourist Board in Madrid." "The GTB's next marketing activity in Spain will take place in Valladolid from 25th to 28th November 2004. The Board will be exhibiting at the 8th edition of INTUR, which specialises in inland tourism and special interest holidays. Once again the Gibraltar Tourist Board's staff from Madrid will be on the stand and the agenda includes a presentation by Nicky Guerrero, the Tourist Board's Sales & Marketing Manager." "We are pleased at the interest being generated in Spain for Gibraltar as a tourism destination. Our attendance at these smaller specialised exhibitions is a new strategy for the Government in respect of the Spanish market. Our presence helps to educate both the travel trade in Spain and promote the many activities Gibraltar has to offer the holiday market", Minister for Trade Joe Holliday said.

Royal Navy visits the Rock.

HMS Manchester, HMS Exeter and RFA Grey Rover all visited Gibraltar last week. HMS Manchester, a type 42 Destroyer arrived on Monday and was followed on Friday by HMS Exeter, another Type 42 destroyer. The RFA vessel is a Rover class small fleet tanker arrived at dawn on Friday morning. Several year groups from St Christopher's school visited HMS Manchester through the week. They were given a tour round the ship by Sub Lieutenant Paul Robinson and were shown the ship's Lynx helicopter.