MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar joins Spanish and UK officials to prepare ministerial meeting

Spanish Foreign Secretary Moratinos will be present at the full meeting

A delegation from Gibraltar with Chief Minister Peter Caruana is participating of a three day non-ministerial round of the Tripartite Forum in Madrid which is expected to prepare the ground for a full ministerial meeting of the Forum in mid-July that will include Spanish Foreign Secretary Miguel Angel Moratinos.

The Gibraltar Chronicle also publishes it was confirmed that Mr Caruana met Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Angel Losada over dinner last Thursday night, “at which they sought to prepare the ground for the non-ministerial meeting of the Trilateral Forum.”

Although the start of the (northern hemisphere) summer traditionally signals the cessation of political activity in Spain, the recent litigation initiatives by both the Spanish and Gibraltar Governments over the question of territorial waters and the local tax regime, appeared to have slowed down the momentum of cross-border relations.

Spain’s decision to contest the favourable judgment by the European Court of First approving Gibraltar’s new tax regime, and the Gibraltar Government’s own move to appeal against the demarcation of a section of Gibraltar waters as Spanish under EU environmental protection laws, have been seen as potential obstacles to improved relations.

However diplomatic sources in Spain have been keen to emphasise that these are separate issues that should not hinder the opportunities for further agreements within the Tripartite Forum.

Convent Place spokesman said: “The Trilateral Forum between the Governments of UK, Spain and Gibraltar will meet, at non-Ministerial level, in Madrid from Sunday to Tuesday 7th July.

“The meeting will focus on the development of objectives in relation to the new areas of co-operation agreed at the Ministerial Meeting in London in July 2008 and relevant developments and events related thereto and will also review Cordoba implementation issues.”

The areas in question are the environment, maritime communications, judicial, customs and crime co-operation involving information and operational links, visa discussions to ease the problems affecting some non-EU nationals who cross the frontier, educational links and financial services.