Conclusions
and recommendations
1. We recommend that
the FCO withdraw its unacceptable joint sovereignty proposal,
and then get on establishing normal and co-operative relations
between Spain and Gibraltar as should be the case between member
states of the European Union and their dependent territories.
(Paragraph 12)
2. We recommend that
the Government explain clearly and in full why it offered Gibraltar
a voice in meetings under the Brussels process, but did not renew
its previous undertaking not to agree to any new arrangements
involving Gibraltar discussed at such meetings without the specific
endorsement of the Government of Gibraltar. (Paragraph 21)
3. We recommend that
the Government invite the Government of Gibraltar to participate
in any further talks on the future of Gibraltar, whether or not
under the Brussels process, under the formula offered in 1997.
(Paragraph 22)
4. We conclude that
there are positive indications that the British Government is
now sticking up for Gibraltar, and is no longer prepared to allow
unjustified allegations to go unchallenged. We recommend that
the Government adopt this practice as a matter of policy. (Paragraph
30)
5. We recommend that
the Government explain how Spain's apparent opposition to enfranchisement
of the Gibraltar electorate in respect of elections to the European
Parliament prevented the Government from implementing the judgment
of the European Court of Human Rights in the first place; and
what it understands to be the grounds on which Spain is now threatening
to take action against the enfranchisement process under Article
227. (Paragraph 35)
6. We recommend that
the Government set out in its response to this Report: (a) the
implications for Gibraltar of the proposals contained in the draft
Constitution published by the Convention; (b) how it intends to
represent the interests of Gibraltar at the forthcoming Inter-Governmental
Conference; and (c) how it will ensure that the United Kingdom's
freedom to pursue bilateral relations with Gibraltar—and
with the overseas territories generally—in its and their
best interests is not compromised by decisions taken at the IGC.
(Paragraph 40)
7. We recommend that
the British and Gibraltar Governments renew their efforts to find
a solution to the pensions issue and that the FCO in its Response
to this Report set out in detail how it proposes to resolve this
matter. (Paragraph 50)
8. We recommend that
the Government set out in clear terms in its Response to this
Report its policy on using United Kingdom telephone numbers for
lines in Gibraltar. (Paragraph 58)
9. We recommend that
the Government urgently complete its review of landing charges
at Gibraltar Airport—and announce the results—as soon
as may be practicable. (Paragraph 63)
10. We recommend that
in its response to this Report the Government set out what it
is doing to persuade the Spanish Government to honour its agreement
to restore maritime links between Spain and Gibraltar. (Paragraph
66)
11. We recommend that
in its response to this Report the Government set out the latest
statistics on delays at the border between Gibraltar and Spain—making
clear the basis on which those figures have been compiled—and
state how it proposes to ensure that delays at the border between
Gibraltar and Spain are no greater than at the land borders between
Schengen and non-Schengen EU states. (Paragraph 69)
12. We conclude that
it is unacceptable that prohibitions on direct military movements
and military communications between the territories of two NATO
allies should continue to exist. We recommend that the British
Government seek to bring the full weight of NATO to bear on the
Spanish Government to have these prohibitions lifted. (Paragraph
71)
| 
