MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Academic Analysis of the Gibraltar-Spain-UK Dialogue Process

The book published by the University of Cadiz compiles contributions from main political actors and political commentators

The book “Gibraltar y el Foro tripartito de Diálogo” that was recently published by the University of Cádiz, was presented in Gibraltar earlier this week. Gibraltar’s Minister for Culture coordinated the presentation at a press conference in the Mackintosh Hall.

The Tripartite Forum, Gibraltar, Spain and United Kingdom, has helped improve relations between the three main players of Gibraltar’s controversy, the British overseas territory over which Spain claims sovereignty. The book includes a series of contributions and analysis from main actors and political commentators on both sides of the border.

The publication contains written contributions from Chief Minister Peter Caruana, former GSD Government Minister Peter Montegriffo and Gibraltar journalist F. Oliva. On the Spanish side there are contributions from diplomat José Pons, one of the architects of the Tripartite process, senator José Carracao, sociologist Salustiano del Campo, socialist MP Salvador de la Encina and finally Andrew Whittaker of the British Embassy in Madrid, among others.

Minister for Culture Edwin Reyes warmly welcomed the guests who included the Vice-Rector of the Algeciras campus F. Trujillo, professors Dr. Alejandro del Valle Gálvez and Dra. Inmaculada González García, who edited the work.

Also present at the launch were Deputy Governor Leslie Pallet and the Spanish Foreign Ministry representative in the Campo, Julio Montesinos. Trujillo described the book as “a magnificent and highly relevant academic work” and congratulated those responsible for the project.

He also revealed that an academic initiative known as Aula Universidad Gibraltar-Campo de Gibraltar which will undertake cross-border educational pursuits was already up and running. In fact the logo of the educational establishment is included in the cover of the book. Trujillo also emphasised the importance of cross-border cooperation in educational issues and a strengthening of dialogue.

For his part Dr. del Valle highlighted the quality of the contributions contained in the book and said that this was the first academic work that touched upon the nature of the Tripartite Forum and its repercussions for Gibraltar and the hinterland.

Finally Dra. González explained how Gibraltar had been a controversial issue in Spain and said that from the outset they had wanted to attract contributions from persons who lived the day to day reality of the Gibraltar issue. She said the book had provoked interest in Britain and Spain and would help to promote the concept of the Tripartite Forum across a wide audience.

She also noted that the Tripartite Forum had been created right after a period of maximum tension with the collapse of the 2004 Anglo-Spanish co-sovereignty plan.  Dra. González also highlighted that the book was the first of its kind to examine the Tripartite Forum from a broad range of opinions.

Minister for Culture Edwin Reyes added that the book will be available in local libraries and will also be distributed in schools. There will also be a number available for members of the public at the Ministry of Culture. The book has already been widely distributed through university networks in Spain.

Gibraltar Chronicle