Chief Minister Fabian Picardo described the meeting as ‘friendly in the most positive way’ and believes that mutual interest between the two largest employers in Andalucía will drive positive post Brexit change.

The Chief Minister was locked in talks with Junta de Andalucía President Susana Diaz at the Palacio de San Telmo, Seville, for over an hour before a scheduled press conference.

“There is a door slightly ajar that for some period had unfortunately been banged shut by those who didn’t care about people or economics and cared only about rancid sovereignty claims,” Mr Picardo said. “We have agreed that there will be further contact with the Junta in the context of the coming weeks and months. I think that we can be optimistic that there is a genuine desire in Seville to work and get on well with Gibraltar. Like all diseases I hope it is infectious.”

Matters relating to health; tourism; business and commerce; sport; the environment; fishing; cultural; social and recreational activities were some of the issues debated.

BREXIT BATTLE

The Chief Minister, who was flanked by his Brexit team of Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia and Attorney General Michael Llamas, also referred to the meeting as ‘historic’ in dealings between Gibraltar and Spain.

When asked if he felt these talks were a throwback to the positive, but ultimately futile, attempts to work together through the 2006 Cordoba Agreement Mr Picardo said:

“If you look at what happened in the run-up to the establishment of the trilateral talks and then the agreement, there was a lot of discreet contact, then there was more overt contact which was not yet trilateral,” he said. “I am not saying that we are heading in that direction but I think that we are seeing the start of the understanding that it is only the Gibraltarian who can represent the Gibraltarian.”

With regards to the in-depth report conducted by the Junta on the regional consequences of Brexit, the Chief Minister believes the results were crucial in understanding Gibraltar’s relationship with the Campo area.

“It is not about the nonsense that Sr Margallo might want to go on about on sovereignty and other matters. The relationship is about economic cooperation, generating growth and politicians delivering for their citizens,” he said. “By seeing the Junta take the step towards looking at the economics of things, I think they are demonstrating to us that they are genuine in the approach that they want to take that is designed to provide something positive in the context of this equation rather than just look back and hark at things that are not of their competence.”

CORDIAL COLLABORATION

When asked if there were any fixed plans going forwards following the meeting, Mr Picardo said that it was a first step before exploring more concrete measures.

“We have agreed to start working together to ensure that everything that matters to citizens and workers in Gibraltar and the Campo area is dealt with in the context of the competences that we have constitutionally as the Government of Gibraltar,” he said. “I think this is one of the opportunities that Brexit will present to us.”

In response to Panorama question whether he felt that the rhetoric emanating from the talks signalled a change of attitude from Spain on Gibraltar, Mr Picardo said:

“Sra Diaz has made it very clear to the central government in Madrid that this meeting was going to happen, so you can make of that what you will,” he said. “I am very satisfied that in the hour we spent together we have not found it possible to disagree with each other.”

WORKERS PRIORITY

The Junta’s Vice President, Manuel Jiménez Barrios, confirmed that there was no mention of Spain’s joint sovereignty proposal and, although maintaining the stance of ‘Spanish workers first’, committed to working with Gibraltar.

“Spanish cross-frontier workers must be able to pass the frontier on a daily basis without difficulty. This was the biggest worry we had and the reason as to why we accepted Mr Picardo’s request for a meeting,” he said. “The Junta wishes the continuation of normalised cross-frontier fluidity. Brexit cannot stop cross-frontier workers from entering Gibraltar and we will support the Spanish Government to make sure that does not happen.”

The Junta’s Vice President said this proposed collaboration was a chance to change the uncertainty surrounding Brexit into opportunities and the materialisation of socio-economic collaboration.

“We are prepared to work together,” he said.

Sr Jiménez Barrios said that this collaboration was a prelude to further discussion on issues that would fall within the remit of the Junta de Andalucía.

ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE

He unleashed a barrage of statistics on Gibraltar’s ‘important’ economic influence on the Campo area where one in four workers is employed by a business in Gibraltar.

“I think that we have opened important lines of communication. It is easy to see just how important Gibraltar is to the workers Campo area, which have a direct relationship with Gibraltar,” he said. “One in four workers in the Gibraltar Campo area works for a business in Gibraltar. Gibraltar imports close to £381m and residents in Gibraltar spend around €80m on goods and services. It is clear that the Rock has a major influence.”

However, he maintained that the Junta would serve in the interests of the Spanish Government when dealing with Gibraltar and Madrid would receive ‘immediate updates’.

Panorama also asked Sr Jiménez Barrios if these positive talks showed a softening of Spain’s stance towards Gibraltar, which prompted a wry smile from the seasoned politician.

“I think the opportunities that have arisen from today’s meeting and this dialogue have been an important step forward,” he said.

Despite what seemed like all-round positive talks, there were nonetheless lengthy queues at the frontier on the Gibraltar side stretching to St Theresa’s Church on the same day.

26-01-18 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR