Spanish FM makes historic visit to Gibraltar

2009-07-22 09:58:25  

    MADRID, July 21 (Xinhua) --

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos Tuesday became the first Spanish minister to visit Gibraltar in almost 300 years.

    Moratinos met Gibraltar's Prime Minister Peter Caruana and British Foreign Minister David Milibrand in Gibraltar, now a British colony. They discussed various matters such as financial service, closer cooperation in political, judicial and customs affairs, education and maritime security.

    Moratinos, though reiterating Spain's territorial claim to Gibraltar, said the issue should be solved through diplomatic channels.

    "Problems should be resolved by dialogue and cooperation. We are in the 21st Century, and we have to look to the future instead of the past," he said.

    Gibraltar, on the southwest coast of the Iberian Peninsula, has been a source of conflict between Britain and Spain since the signing of the 1713 Utrecht Treaty after Spain lost a war to Britain. Under the treaty, Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain.

    Spain, however, has never given up its claim to retake the place, while Britain has been unwilling to lose its grip on the colony, which is a vital naval base at the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea.

Spain's FM repeats territorial claim on Gibraltar

2009-07-22 11:07:35  

    MADRID, July 21 (Xinhua) --

Spain's foreign minister on Tuesday visited Gibraltar for the first time since it was taken by Britain nearly 300 years ago, maintaining his country's claim on the disputed territory.

    In a joint press conference with his British counterpart David Miliband, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said his country's claim on Gibraltar "cannot be relinquished," adding that solution should come through "cooperation and dialogue" between Spain, Britain and Gibraltar.

    Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 but has always sought its return.

    London remains in refusal to hand what it calls "overseas territory" back to Spain for "respecting the Gibraltarians' wishes."

    "Sovereignty is in the hands of the people of Gibraltar," said Miliband on Tuesday.

    During his visit to Gibraltar, Moratinos also met with Gibraltar Chief Minister Peter Caruana. Together with Miliband, the three sides reached agreement to boost cooperation in security and environment protection.

    Moratinos' visit to Gibraltar was hailed by the three sides as "historic."

    The three sides have previously met in 2006 in Spain and last year in London, occasions on which the sovereignty issue was not discussed.

    In a 2002 referendum, the majority of Gibraltar's inhabitants rejected an Anglo-Spanish proposal for shared sovereignty.

    Gibraltar is located on the southern tip of Iberian Peninsula, sharing land border with Spain in the north. The self-governing territory covers 6,843 square km and currently has a population of 30,000.

Editor: Fang Yang