MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain wants a Gibraltar solution acceptable to all (three) sides

Foreign Affairs minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, no regrets over his historic visit to Gibraltar

Spanish Foreign Affairs minister Miguel Angel Moratinos has said that an effort must be made to find a solution to the Gibraltar (Spain/UK) dispute that is “acceptable to all”.

Interviewed in Sunday’s edition of El Pais Moratinos made clear Spain would remain vigilant as regards its position on sovereignty but denied he had any regrets on visiting Gibraltar.

He said this was part of the program for the tripartite (UK, Spain, Gibraltar) forum.

“No (regrets) at all. The defence of our sovereignty position was made very clear and where it should be: in Gibraltar and in front of the Chief minister of Gibraltar and the Foreign Secretary.”

Moratinos said that all political groups had understood his visit except the opposition conservative PP. National dignity, he said, is lost with a policy that has given no results in 305 years “going from diplomatic failure to failure.”

Asked if it would be realistic to have an agreement reached between Spain and UK with Gibraltarians against this he said: “I think we have to find a solution that satisfies everyone.”

Moratinos said he did not believe Gibraltarians want to live in isolation behind the frontier gates and though in its day closure may have been seen as a solution, it had proven a shambles “and has only served to create animosity towards Spain.”