Spain gives priority to cooperation over sovereignty

With withdrawal due at the end of the year, an air of urgency engulfs the talks, with the aim being to reach agreement by October.

The next round of MoU talks will move on to Gibraltar this month, with Spanish sources suggesting that such talks will be held on 9 July.

The talks so far held have been described as positive.

However, as recent as last February, a UK report said that a Gibraltar row was due to erupt as Spain claimed advantageous stance over the Rock in a post-Brexit situation.

This is because the EU is backing Spain to exclude Gibraltar from a future Brexit deal, with UK observers seeing Britain poised to lose control.

In fact, even in 2016 The Times reported: “Spain reignited a diplomatic row with Britain over Gibraltar, issuing a new claim for control of the territory after the Brexit vote.”

This was after ex Spanish foreign minister Margallo, known for his anti-Gibraltar stance, having also said then “that the British referendum had brought forward the day when a Spanish flag would fly over Gibraltar.”

With a change in Foreign Minister in Madrid the following year, Spain’s new foreign minister Alfonso Dastis acknowledged Spain had little chance of succeeding with its long-held claim over Gibraltar if Britain refused to negotiate.

In fact, he told El Pais: “I think you have to be realistic, if the United Kingdom does not want to negotiate it will be difficult to carry it forward.

”So it does make sense for them that Spain is giving priority to cooperation over sovereignty, as the talks proceed.

07-07-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR