APPENDIX 10
Memorandum submitted by Mr John Borda
I recently received a copy of the response from the
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the
Foreign Affairs Committee.
While I am broadly in agreement with the Report,
for a large part the response refers, correctly, to outside bodies
which are instrumental in administering EU rights, such as the
EU Commission. I urge HMG to redouble its efforts to progress
infraction proceedings against Spain for the whole raft of restrictions
placed against Gibraltar. If necessary, the issue of racism by
the Spanish government should be raised—an accusation with
which most of the Spanish people would not associate themselves,
and, indeed, it should be carefully levelled against only the
current and previous Spanish administrations.
The Spanish media appears to be increasing the
amount of hysterical accusations levelled at Gibraltar. I believe
these, along with Sr. Osuna's recent (unsubstantiated and untrue)
statement on the "end of co-operation between the RGP and
Spanish law enforcement agencies" is designed to again build
resentment in Spaniards towards Gibraltar. That this conveniently
eclipses our adoption of the 4th and 7th EC Company Law directives,
and seems timed for a crescendo on the publication of our new
Constitution cannot be called a coincidence. I have yet to read
of any rebuttal statements given by the British Embassy in Madrid.
I particularly support HMG's stance that Spain
should not have veto over our new Constitution. However, bearing
in mind the hysterical reactions that are typical of the Spanish
government, I would hesitate to even ask their opinion. I would
certainly give any of their comments very little weight.
The whole purpose of creating a new Constitution
is to remove Gibraltar from the UN list of non-self-governing
territories. As such I ask HMG to hold a UN supervised Referendum
on the Constitution as soon as practicable, to ensure this result.
This would then remove the UN's pressure to discuss sovereignty,
from which the Brussels Process drew its raison d'être.
I welcome the point that HMG intends to respond
to the Matutes Proposals shortly. If Mr Cook has listened to the
Gibraltarians, this reply can only be in the negative.
I further welcome the possibility of Gibraltarian
representation in Westminster. However, I would also want to see
Gibraltarian representation in Brussels and at the UN. This will
make rebuttal of the lies by Spanish representatives more direct,
and remove pressure from the UK Representatives, who have a wider
brief, and, as was recently shown in the UN, seem unable to comprehensively
rebut these lies. The Spanish attempts to overturn the European
Court's ruling on our rights to vote is typical of the anti-democratic
stance taken by that government towards Gibraltar. Further, the
possibility of such a complete and immediate rebuttal may well
serve to prevent such comments ever being made, a fact that will
do much for Gibraltar-Spanish relations.
As a Gibraltarian, I ask that you consider the
wishes of the Gibraltarian people ahead of those who wish us harm,
and lead Spain to the point where she can live with a British
Gibraltar.
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