MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
García Margallo wants Gibraltar out of Brexit talks; insists on a face to face meeting with Johnson
Boris Johnson told García-Margallo that Britain would not budge on Gibraltar’s sovereignty for as long as the Gibraltarians wished to remain British. 
In a statement García Margallo said UK should not be including Gibraltar in the Brexit talks: the Rock is a matter for bilateral discussions between UK and Spain. Caretaker Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, says he will be raising Gibraltar with the UK’s new Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson when they meet in London ‘soon’. The two had a fleeting encounter at a Brussels Summit on Monday during which the Gibraltar issue was mentioned briefly.
Mr. Johnson has already indicated the UK will be ‘doubling its guard’ on the Rock during the Brexit negotiations and will be standing up to Spanish aggression.
In a statement to the press following that encounter, García Margallo said the UK should not be including Gibraltar in the Brexit talks, given that the Rock is a matter for bilateral discussions between the UK and Spain.
As to whether García Margallo will get round to meeting Mr. Johnson remains to be seen, as he has now been in a caretaker role for seven months following two elections in which his party, the PP, has failed to win a majority.
Boris Johnson told García-Margallo that Britain would not budge on Gibraltar’s sovereignty for as long as the Gibraltarians wished to remain British.
“Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo raised Gibraltar with the Foreign Secretary when they met in [Monday] Brussels,” a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said.
“The Foreign Secretary responded by saying the UK’s position on sovereignty is unchanged and this Government will defend Gibraltar’s right to remain British for as long as that is the wish of the people.”
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Read all commentsShould be an interesting meeting ! A test for Boris's diplomatic skills.
Jul 20th, 2016 - 11:08 am 0EFF-OFF is a distinct possibility.
Nothing to do with Spain or the stand in caretaker clown manager. Look to your own country that is falling apart. Gibraltar will still be in British hands when in thirty years Spain is but a small little country broken by states breaking away.
Jul 20th, 2016 - 11:18 am 0How can Spain dictate bi-partite talks?
Jul 20th, 2016 - 12:50 pm 0How can poor cousin EU member Spain dictate anything??
Brace yourselves for a lot of militant discontented unemployed waiters.
Is this the only way that Spain can 'look tough'? They can't extend their forces further than their own back yard. Is this how a NATO partner should behave ?
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