MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar-UK-Spain process a “great achievement”

Whilst stressing Gibraltar's government's political vigilance in the current process of talks involving Britain, Spain and British Overseas Territory Gibraltar, Joe Holliday, Deputy Chief Minister, declared his ?great confidence' in Chief Minister Peter Caruana's handling of the tripartite process.

Mr. Holliday addressing a local business forum this week also underlined the economic opportunities that Gibraltar expects the process to create for the region. He specifically mentioned that Gibraltar companies and a joint venture with Spain are looking to the re-establishment of the ferry with Algeciras and reported that next November should see a meeting of a joint working group with neighbouring Los Barrios to establish anti pollution measures for the Bay.

The ferry will require the go ahead from the ministerial trilateral expected "shortly" but Mr. Holliday said the logistics of implementation "are already being looked at local level". However the Deputy Chief Minister emphasised that although Gibraltar Government is working for the development of regional co-operation "there is no way we will be absorbed as a municipality of the Mancomunidad del Campo", and emphasized that the "Government had its eyes wide open as to the Britain-Spain relationship and was ?suspicious' of this in the sense of being alert to Gibraltar's interests".

"I have great confidence in Peter Caruana" he said arguing adding that Gibraltar will be "pleasantly surprised" when the details from the trilateral process emerge.

The trilateral process, he said, is a "great achievement" having met all the conditions set out by the Gibraltar government.

On the airport he said that Government is determined to get the maximum benefit but at the same time "the red lines will not be put at risk".

Mr Holliday finally revealed that Gibraltar is to ease the access to the local work market for new EU members in sectors where Gibraltarians and other EU nationals fail to meet the demand of employers ?the catering and hotel trades in particular.

The British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar is claimed by Spain.