Wednesday, January 15, 2020 - 11:09 Joe Garcia

The first interview by a Gibraltarian journalist with a Spanish foreign minister, and a new minister in Spain in a fighting mood

It was the first time that a Spanish foreign minister had agreed to be interviewed by a Gibraltarian journalist. There was a new democratic government in Spain, in the wake of the Franco era.

Inside the imposing 'Palacio de Santa Cruz', the foreign ministry, I was invited to meet the leading lights, from the director-general for diplomatic information to the under-secretary for Western European affairs, all repeating the phrase that this was 'a historic occasion'.

On my way to the main office I went up a marble staircase adorned by paintings of former foreign ministers, including Fernando Castiella, the chief architect of Spain's hardline policy on Gibraltar, who pointedly had The Rock painted into his portrait.

But that was something of the past, the then incumbent was Marcelino Oreja, a young career diplomat who adopted a soft line on Gibraltar.

Although he was demonstrably conscious of the plethora of difficulties that engulfed this centuries-old problem, he projected his views with moderation and tact, urging that the problem be defused and that we should establish a climate of mutual confidence in a positive and flexible manner without either side adopting dogmatic postures.

NEW PSOE FOREIGN MINISTER

If we now move to today's world, with a new government in the UK and now in Spain, with Brexit talks in the offing as we leave the EU, will this intractable issue face understanding, given that Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has said that he wants to move away from the eternal sovereignty issue.

And where does the new Spanish foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez fit in?

Taking on her new responsibilities two days ago, she said she wanted to reposition Spain in the EU and the world. She was in a strong pro-Spain, fighting mood, wanting to fight so that Spain gained international weight.

And in English, she said: Spain is back and is here to stay.

She said later that she had spoken in English so that a wider world would understand.

What does all this diplomatic jargon mean? We shall soon find out!