Foreign Minister Albares recognizes “constructive spirit” in UK for Gibraltar agreement

CORDOBA, 15 (EUROPA PRESS)

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has recognized this Monday “constructive spirit” in the United Kingdom for the achievement of an agreement that promotes “a zone of shared prosperity between Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar”, although in the same way He has pointed out that “the ball is in the United Kingdom’s court” for that purpose to come to fruition.

In statements to the media in Córdoba after meeting with the representatives of the Halal Institute, Albares has argued that “for an agreement two are needed” once “we put a global agreement on the table” in such a way that an outcome requires ” not just a Spanish proposal”, but “acceptance by the United Kingdom”.

“We hope it will be as soon as possible”, Albares stressed, who assured that “we are ready for the agreement”.

The British Government assured in March to continue working “intensively” to achieve this agreement with the European Union on Gibraltar after Brexit, as a spokesperson for the British Ministry revealed to Europa Press when asked if the recent agreement between London and Brussels on the Northern Ireland Protocol, the so-called ‘Windsor framework’, will unlock the negotiation around the Rock, of which twelve rounds have already been held.

“We are working intensively to conclude an agreement that can help achieve future prosperity for Gibraltar and the Campo,” said that spokesman, who then did not want to go into more detail about the status of those talks.

London, Brussels and the Spanish Government have insisted that the negotiation on the Northern Ireland Protocol, which was agreed on February 27 by the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, and the of Gibraltar are two distinct and separate processes, although their negotiators are the same actors: the Foreign Minister, James Cleverly, and the Vice President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic.

London defends that the basis for the agreement is the political framework agreed between the United Kingdom and Spain on December 31, 2020, which provides for the suppression of the Gate but which raises the problem of border controls at the port and airport of Gibraltar.