PP calls upon Socialists to continue Gibraltar talks

 

Yesterday the Spanish Foreign Affairs Commitee voted against sovereignty talks concerning Gibraltar, by 13 votes to 12. This came ahead fof today's meeting in London between Foreign Secretary William Hague and Spain's Foreign Minister, Trinidad Jiminez.

The PP opposition party, who proposed the motion, critisised of the 'unfriendly attitude' of the Gibraltar authorities, the money laundering operations in the colony and the occupation by the UK of the waters that surround Gibraltar.

The Socialists proposed an amendment containing the same points that had enabled Congress to reach unanimous agreement over Gibraltar in March 2009. He urged the PP to accept what had previously been agreed. The PP had previously presented a report in support of this, but it was felt that it was no longer current, as most of the issues raised had long ceased to exist.

The PP spokesman, Luis Peral recalled that socialist ministers had been supportive of the claims to sovereignty, and that the foreign minister had recently stated how the main objective of Spain's policy concerning Gibraltar was to recover sovereignty.

The motion had urged the Gibraltar authorities to put an end 'to the occupaion of Spanish territorial waters.'