New Spanish foreign minister has new ideas on Gibraltar

An she speaks of entering, and concluding talks and reaching agreements, between Gibraltar, the UK and the EU, she appears to have no qualms of sitting on a table and negotiating with Gibraltar.

What is Ms Gonzalez on about? Well, she has coined a phrase which says it all: Working out what she has coined as 'a zone of joint prosperity' between Gibraltar and the Campo area for the benefit of the people on both sides of the frontier.

Immediately, political observers in Gibraltar will question what this 'zone of joint prosperity' will be, in fact some will ask if this is joint sovereignty by another name?

But when asked about it, given that joint sovereignty has often been insisted upon in Spanish political circles, the new Spanish foreign minister effectively discards sovereignty, saying that what the people care about is to know if they will be able to cross the frontier as up to now.

Of course, nothing has been agreed on this 'zone of joint prosperity', but she seems to think that there is no point in discussing sovereignty if it will get you nowhere. And it is the people that matter.

The Spanish foreign office team has already met with Campo mayors and others, while she herself

will be coming down to the Campo shortly - and also meeting with the UK subsequently.

The aim is to strike a solution between now and the end of the year - that will also continue for the future.

She seeks to establish this 'zone of prosperity' to enable the people to continue doing what they have been doing up to now, which is to cross the frontier to work in Gibraltar or to live in the Campo area and beyond.

In the past, Gibraltarians have heard officialdom in Spain proferring good intentions, but sooner rather than later there has been a return to the past where the only thing Spain wants has been to recover Gibraltar's sovereignty which, then and now, is a non-starter.

In fact, Gibraltar leaders have already warned that a return to sovereignty could well lead to their walking out of any talks.

Who knows, Ms Gonzalez might genuinely want to strike a deal where peaceful coexistence will reign supreme - but will the hawks in Madrid allow her to?

Gibraltar will find out, sooner or later!

03-02-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR