MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar: “we're not far from an agreement”.

Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana expressed confidence in the process of talks in which the British Overseas Territory has embarked and on the initial contacts with senior British and Spanish diplomats in Chevening, Kent this weekend.

The days of bilateral deals struck in dark smoky rooms are over, Mr. Caruana said in a television interview. "How do we decolonise Gibraltar? As a result of the desire of the people of Gibraltar for a new future which is not being a colony or in a windowless room, full of smoke between London and Madrid fiddling some deal over our heads doing what they wish? The latter is what has happened until now" he added.

"That has failed, and will always fail. Democracy is inviolable for all three sides, not one or two parts," insisted Mr Caruana adding that the reality is that the people of Gibraltar exist and are claiming their self-determination.

The Chief Minister said that despite differences there has to be a relationship and the new dialogue is seeking to address that. He recalled that he has been recommending this approach for eight years.

Mr Caruana said that recognising Gibraltar's voice does not amount to recognising it as a state but simply recognition of reality. "To recognise that Gibraltar's voice is valid as a voice on the Gibraltarians cause is not a concession for a democracy in my view," he said. Mr Caruana said he expected a meeting under the new forum soon and that the meeting this week had gone well. "We have discussed all the issues we had to in order to reach agreement. I think we are not far from an agreement that we can make public soon. I think it will be a process on the lines that I have been seeking or some time. A process viable for parts that this is not about any side having won anything, recognition or the like; it's simply that there are three democratic parts in a dialogue that is viable for each of them without any of these parts having to give up anything simply to be seated at the table."

Mr Caruana admitted that he believes Gibraltar recognises that most Spaniards might yet say that Gibraltar should be Spanish, for historical reasons. But he said the view was also that most Spaniards would also say that the only approach is a democratic one.

Delays in mail from UK

The Post Office in Gibraltar notified, for public information, that no mail originating in the United Kingdom has been received in Gibraltar since last Tuesday, 7th December 2004. A small amount of mail from other countries, sent via the United Kingdom, was received on Thursday 9th December.

The Post Office has caused enquiries to be made, and discussions have taken place with the carrier GB Airways which brings in the incoming mails. The airline has undertaken to clear the backlog of mail from the UK for Gibraltar over the weekend and Monday.