MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Historic agreement over Gibraltar

United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Spain concluded Monday in Cordoba, Spain, a landmark agreement on a range of cross-cutting issues affecting the Rock and its citizens.

The results of the Palacio de Viana, Cordoba trilateral meeting are a significant and positive milestone on the road back to normality 52 years after the Spanish dictator, Franco, initiated a campaign to 'recover the Rock'.

Peter Caruana, Chief Minister of Gibraltar held a press conference with the Spanish foreign minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos and the UK Minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon.

Like the previous Chief Minister, Mr Caruana had boycotted earlier bilateral meetings held under the 'Brussels Agreement' insisting instead that meetings should give an equal say to Gibraltar. In 2004 it was agreed to start the trilateral process with the first meeting was held in Malaga in February 2005.

Since then there have been regular meetings without any tangible result, prompting comments that the honeymoon was over but without any result. However today they announced:

1. Spain agrees to recognise Gibraltar's telephone code of 350 and allow mobile roaming.

2. All Restrictions at the airport will be removed

3. There will be normality of traffic flow at the frontier

4. Britain agrees to pay up rated pensions to workers who lost their jobs when the frontier was closed by Franco

5. A branch of the institute Cervantes will be opened in Gibraltar

6. The UK agrees not to make repairs to nuclear submarines in Gibraltar

Speaking to GBC television Geoff Hoon congratulated the other parties for their contribution and stressed the benefits to the people of Gibraltar and Spain.

"The agreements are good for the Campo Gibraltar, and everyone and does not come with any demands that anything is 'given up' in return or any political concessions being made", said Geoff Hoon.

Mr Caruana said that although Mr Moratinos may still want to 'recover' sovereignty of Gibraltar for Spain, that is something that is up to the people of Gibraltar and that with intelligent politics and good will it has been possible to come to an agreement that is a win-win situation for everyone.

"The Trilateral agreement is truly historic. For the first time, all three parties have negotiated together and have reached agreement together. This is ground-breaking in itself. And it demonstrates that constructive dialogue and co-operation is possible", added Minister Hoon.

He added that Gibraltar will no longer be excluded from the EU aviation measures and passengers travelling from Gibraltar will be able to reach a greater range of destinations directly.

"New red and green customs channels will improve border flows between Gibraltar and Spain. An agreement on telecommunications will lift limitations on dialling Gibraltar from Spain and allow mobile roaming in Spain for Gibraltar mobile phones".

"I am pleased that the pensions agreement will provide an equitable settlement for those Spanish citizens who lost their livelihoods when the border closed in 1969".

Finally Hoon underlined that the agreement delivers "real, practical benefits to the people of Gibraltar and the Campo region".

Photo:The signatories of the landmark agreement on Gibraltar (left to right): UK Minister for Europe, Geoffrey Hoon, Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and Peter Caruana, Chief Minister for Gibraltar.

Gibnews.net