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Germany optimistic about “a friendly and sensible political agreement” over Gibraltar
The German Government believes Brexit offers “a possibly historic opportunity” for the UK and Spain to reach “a friendly and sensible” political agreement over Gibraltar’s legal status, according to Spanish press reports. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rules“Perhaps the process for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU that is starting now is a historic opportunity to tackle and clarify this issue once and for all.”
May 10th, 2017 - 11:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0Let's chuck in everything then, the Catalonian independence referendum request, the piece of Portugal that Spain half inched, the Basque region and everywhere else the Spanish nicked.
I suggest that the EU concentrate on who is going to replace the UK as a sugar daddy, so Mr Schafer can decide whether or not Germany ups its EU contributions to make up for the shortfall.
Unless Ms Sturgeon plans to plug the gap.
Good luck with that.
Europeans persist in believing that somehow Brexit puts some cards in Spanish hands where it comes to Gibraltar. Just one more piece of evidence that the Europeans do not and have never ever made any effort to understand the British point of view on anything. If anyone was in any doubt as to whether Brexit was the right thing to do, what has been said and done since the referendum has made it abundantly clear that the Brits have nothing in common with the rest of Europe and should go their own way. Whether the rest of Europe has that much in common remains to be seen.
May 10th, 2017 - 11:31 am - Link - Report abuse 0Funny thing is, Spain gave Gibraltar away again in 1975. So who needs Utrecht?
May 10th, 2017 - 02:38 pm - Link - Report abuse +2Gibraltar – Helsinki Accord 1975 https://www.academia.edu/32824301/Gibraltar_-Helsinki_Accord_1975
Spain needs to be careful, they stand to lose their territories on the African continent. If Europe's stance is to rid it's self of alleged colonies, then should it no give up it's EU colonies like Ceuta & Melilla and hand them back to Morocco?
May 11th, 2017 - 03:38 am - Link - Report abuse +1Spain has no need to be careful; the EU's stance is not to get rid of colonies but to support member states like Spain over non-member states like Morocco and soon to be UK.
May 11th, 2017 - 08:16 am - Link - Report abuse 0While Gibraltar is in the EU they have a lot of protection from Spain. Spain even only reopened the border due to joining the EU and being forced to. I don't think they will close it again but there is no doubt that Brexit will give them a lot more power to make life difficult there. It's not a question of invading or of the law but of economics.
Nothing to do with Germany so they can just f--k off!
May 11th, 2017 - 01:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Does Spain want to renegotiate the Treaty of Utrecht?
@Demon Tree
May 12th, 2017 - 02:37 pm - Link - Report abuse +1“ It's not a question of invading or of the law but of economics.”
True, like 10,000 Spaniards being employed in Gib, and the money the UK puts into the Spanish economy.
@Pete Bog
May 12th, 2017 - 04:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Too bad for them if people lose their jobs, but what does Spain care? They won't notice the difference in their already high unemployment rate.
The trade with the UK is a much bigger deal for Spain, but that will be covered in whatever deal we make with the EU, assuming the current bunch of idiots in charge are actually able to get one. So we can't use it when negotiating for Gib. This is the difference between negotiating with one country vs a trade group.
Brexit really does hand an advantage to Spain, not to get sovereignty directly but it gives them lots of power over Gibraltar as the only neighbour of a tiny 'country'. It's ironic that the people most in favour of keeping Gibraltar and the Falklands British have voted for this.
“according to Spanish press report” says it all.
May 12th, 2017 - 09:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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