MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain/UK optimistic about Gibraltar border crossing issues

Geoff Hoon, British Minister for Europe responsible for Gibraltar at the Foreign Office is set to meet with his Spanish counterpoint Bernardino León next June 19 in Madrid, a day before arriving to Gibraltar, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

News of the meeting was published in the Spanish press following a meeting of top British and Spanish diplomats in London to discuss issues "related to Gibraltar and the trilateral forum".

José Pons, Spain's director general for Europe met Anthony Smith, his counterpart at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, for talks at working group level.

Prior to the meeting, Spanish press reports had quoted anonymous British sources as saying that the issue of Gibraltar's constitutional reform was also on the agenda for the meeting. However a FCO spokesman declined to provide any detail on the specifics of the discussion.

Spanish sources said the hope is that they may be able to come to agreements ahead of the summer.

That is only likely to take place if Britain has by then published the wording of the ?second' preamble to the Gibraltar constitution that is set to be put to the Rock in a referendum. The move will be seen at diplomatic level as addressing the sensitivities that exist in Spain at pitching the level of ministerial talks.

Mr. León is technically Mr Hoon's counterpart but Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has given Mr Hoon additional responsibility on Gibraltar in the talks because of his particular experience with the Rock and his personal standing in the UK government.

Speaking with the Gibraltar Chronicle, Jose Pons reiterated his optimism that a first package of measures will be agreed this summer.

"Everyone knows that the principle of these negotiations is that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," he declared.

Mr. Pons expressed the hope that all obstacles will be cleared in the negotiations given the "goodwill and commitment" shown by the participants to advance on issues that are of cross-border interest.

Speaking about his relations with Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana, Pons described him as "a firm defender of the interests of the Gibraltarians who believes in dialogue and in listening and understanding the point of view of others".

Pons said Mr Caruana was fully conscious that there is a historic opportunity that cannot be missed, to achieve normal and prosperous cross-border relations, "without any side having to give up their positions of principle."

He said the Chief Minister wanted friendly relations and cooperation with Spain, and that Madrid shared a similar perspective.