Supplementary Memorandum from the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office
Report of Meeting of the Brussels Process,
Barcelona, 20 November 2001
1. The Brussels Process was established
by the Brussels Communiqué of November 1984. In this, the
British and Spanish Governments set our their aim of overcoming
all the differences between the UK and Spain over Gibraltar and
of promoting co-operation on a mutually beneficial basis on economic,
cultural, touristic, aviation, military and environmental matters.
The Communiqué also established that the issues of sovereignty
would be discussed. Between 1984 and 1997, more than 50 meetings
took place under the umbrella of the Brussels Process. Earlier
this year, the Foreign Secretary announced, in the debate on the
Queen's Speech (Hansard, 22 June 2001, Col 284), that the Government
had agreed to resume talks under the Brussels Process.
2. The Foreign Secretary met the Spanish
Foreign Minister in London on 26 July. The Chief Minister of Gibraltar
was also invited to this meeting but did not attend. The Ministers
underlined their commitment to resolve their differences over
Gibraltar, confirmed the importance of Gibraltarian engagement
in the Brussels Process, and confirmed the invitation to the Chief
Minister of Gibraltar to attend future Ministerial meetings. The
Ministers agreed to meet again in the autumn.
3. The Ministers held a further meeting
of the Brussels Process in Barcelona on 20 November. Once again,
the Chief Minister of Gibraltar was invited to attend but did
not. A copy of the joint press communiqué issued at the
meeting has been placed in the libraries of the House. A copy
is also attached to this memorandum. The Ministers discussed the
full range of issues set out in the Brussels Communiqué,
including those of co-operation and sovereignty. They did not
draw any conclusions at the Barcelona meeting, but agreed to meet
again in the spring. In the meantime, normal contacts between
the UK and Spanish and the UK and Gibraltar Governments will continue
in order to prepare for the next meeting.
4. The Government believes that it has a
unique opportunity to resolve the historic tensions between Gibraltar
and Spain and to develop new relationships between the UK, Spain
and Gibraltar. The Government aims, through the Brussels Process,
to deliver a more stable, secure and prosperous future for Gibraltar,
free from such inconveniences as border delays, telephone problems
and flight restrictions. The Government wants Gibraltar to enjoy
greater self-government and the full benefits of normal co-operation
with the wider region. The Government believes that Gibraltar
would then be in a position to develop its potential as a regional
hub for financial business and tourism in the southern Iberian
Peninsula. The Government firmly believes that dialogue under
the Brussels Process is the only way to achieve this progress.
5. There is an open invitation to the Government
of Gibraltar to participate in the Brussels Process with its own
separate voice on the UK side of the table. At the meeting in
Barcelona the Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Foreign Minister
underlined the very important contribution that the Government
of Gibraltar could make to the Brussels Process and reiterated
their invitation for the Chief Minister to attend future Ministerial
meetings.
6. The Government appreciates the concerns
that many in Gibraltar have expressed. But we believe that they
have nothing to fear and much to gain from discussion under the
Brussels Process. As the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and
Minister for Europe have all recently reaffirmed, the Government's
approach to the Brussels Process is based on the clear and public
commitment enshrined in the preamble to the Gibraltar Constitution
that ".....Her Majesty's Government will never enter into
arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under
the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically
expressed wishes". This commitment is contained in the 1984
Brussels Communiqué that established the Process. As the
Minister for Europe reaffirmed in his speech to the House on 7
November (Hansard, 7 November 2001, Col 88WH), the people of Gibraltar
will be the final judges of the Brussels Process.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
23 November 2001
BRUSSELS PROCESS MINISTERIAL MEETING ON
GIBRALTAR, 20 NOVEMBER, BARCELONA
JOINT PRESS COMMUNIQUE
Josep Piqué i Camps, the Spanish
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary
of the United Kingdom.
At our meeting today we confirmed our shared
objective to continue our discussions about Gibraltar, in an atmosphere
of trust and mutual co-operation, a commitment which Prime Minister
Blair and Prime Minister Aznar endorsed when they met in London
on 9 November. We are delighted that we are making good progress.
We discussed the full range of issues set out
in the November 1984 Brussels Communiqué. We did not want
to draw conclusions today. Our aim is to conclude a comprehensive
agreement by the summer of next year. This overall agreement will
cover all outstanding issues, including those of co-operation
and sovereignty.
Our shared objective is a future where Gibraltar
enjoys a greater self government and the opportunity to reap the
full benefits of normal co-existence with the wider region. The
guiding principle is to build a secure, stable and prosperous
future for Gibraltar and a modern sustainable status, consistent
with our common membership of NATO and the EU. We also agreed
on the need for rapid progress on key areas of co-operation. We
asked officials to work up ideas and report to the next Ministerial
meeting.
While the British Government welcomed the Spanish
decision to more than triple the number of telephone numbers for
Gibraltar to 100,000, both Ministers agreed on the need for experts
to continue discussions to resolve the other telecommunications
issues. The British Government welcomed Spain's proposals to improve
health care facilities in Spain for Gibraltarians, and both Ministers
agreed that this should be followed up quickly. The Ministers
also agreed that bilateral discussions would continue to address
the pensions issue.
We agreed that the Government of Gibraltar had
a very important contribution to make to our discussions. Gibraltar's
voice should be heard. We reiterated the invitation which we issued
to the Chief Minister of Gibraltar when we met in London on 26
July to attend future Brussels Process Ministerial meetings. His
role will be fully respected and he will have the opportunity
to contribute fully to the discussions. The Process would benefit
greatly from the direct views of the Government of Gibraltar,
and through the Government of the House of Assembly and public
opinion in Gibraltar as a whole.
Barcelona
20 November 2001
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