MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain received Queen’s message on Gibraltar and Falklands with “surprise and considerable discomfort”

MP and Mayor of Algeciras Landaluce, “we don’t think it is a friendly gesture”

Jose Ignacio Landaluce, the ruling Spanish Popular Party MP and Mayor of Algeciras, said that the Queen’s message of support for Gibraltar (and Falklands) was greeted with “surprise and considerable discomfort” in Spain. His was the only reaction from any Spanish official to a statement that was warmly welcomed in Gibraltar.

On Wednesday during the State opening of Parliament, the Queen declared that the British Government would protect the Gibraltarians’ and Falkland islanders’ right to self-determination.
The remarks were unprecedented and a clear indication of the British Government’s firm commitment to the people of Gibraltar.

Landaluce said that Spain was respectful toward the Queen’s message, but he made no effort to hide the fact that her words had not gone down well in Madrid.

“We don’t think it’s a very friendly gesture,” he said. “Gibraltar is a colony and must be returned to its legitimate owners”.

He added that Spain remained committed to dialogue and better understanding between neighbouring communities.

“But always taking into account that matters of sovereignty are discussed between two countries,” he underlined and they are Spain and the UK.

Earlier this week the Foreign & Commonwealth Office made clear yet again that bilateral talks about Gibraltar were out of the question.

“The shared position of the UK Government and HM Government of Gibraltar is that the Trilateral Forum for Dialogue is the only acceptable formal process for negotiations between UK, Spain and Gibraltar,” a spokesman said. “The UK remains strongly committed to the Trilateral Process”.

Likewise it was announced that Chief Minister Fabian Picardo was in Sevilla participating in a two-day conference on Gibraltar, where he was scheduled to speak. The eventtakes place at the Colegio Mayor San Juan Bosco under the theme ‘Gibraltar, 300 Years After the Treaty of Utrecht’.

CM Picardo will address delegates on the Gibraltar view of the Treaty of Utrecht.