MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain claims sovereignty but advocates Gibraltar dialogue

Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos restated this week his country's claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar before the General Assembly of the United Nations. >

Referring to the recent trilateral (UK, Spain and Gibraltar) agreements reached in Cordoba, Moratinos said they "do not mean that my government renounces the claim to the sovereignty of Gibraltar". However the remarks were made in the context of pointing to dialogue as the way forward.

In his address he remarked, in reference to Western Sahara, that there was a need to reach a solution to that issue through dialogue and that the international community should create circumstances for this so that "a lasting and just political agreement can be reached which respects the principle of self-determination within the framework of the United Nations."

He went on to say that such a "willingness for dialogue and compromise can unblock this old dispute (Western Sahara) just as has happened with Gibraltar."

Moratinos said he was pleased to inform the Assembly that "the first agreements of the Tripartite Forum for Dialogue were adopted on Monday in Cordoba."

"In these are reflected the spirit of the resolutions of the United Nations. These agreements do not mean that my government renounces the claim to the sovereignty of Gibraltar."

The Spanish Foreign Minister also took a philosophical approach: "The 21st century is called upon to resolve old conflicts and face the global challenges with efficiency, something that urges the reform of the UN"

Moratinos ended his speech quoting a poem from Spanish writer Garcia Lorca: "If hope is extinguished and the Babel of incomprehension is begun, what torch will light the paths of the Earth?"

This week also it was revealed that Miguel Angel Moratinos has asked to make an appearance before the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Spanish parliament the Congreso del los Diputados. He intends to make a statement on the Tripartite Talks, it was reported in Madrid.

Meanwhile Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana and Opposition leader Joe Bossano are expected to fly to New York a week Tuesday to address the UN Fourth Committee in the first session since the new Constitution was agreed with Britain.

Early this coming week Mr Caruana is expected to attend the Labour Party conference and then return to UK for the Conservative Party conference ahead of flying to the UN.