• Brexit.Gibraltar prepares for a hard Brexit
  • Policy: The EU defines Gibraltar as a "colony" in its post-Brexit visa policy

Spain defended on Tuesday at the UN the need for a dialogue on the sovereignty of Gibraltar and said it remains ready to negotiate with the United Kingdom a new regional cooperation scheme for the benefit of the inhabitants of the area.

"Spain, I insist, remains open to dialogue," said the Spanish ambassador to the United Nations, Agustín Santos, at a meeting of the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly, responsible for decolonization issues.

Santos stressed that Spain "has not ceased at any time in its negotiating efforts," as the General Assembly has asked for decades, which has passed repeated resolutions urging Madrid and London to discuss sovereignty.

In his speech, the ambassador also reiterated the Spanish disposition to "reach an agreement with the United Kingdom for the implementation of a new regional cooperation scheme for the direct benefit of the inhabitants of both sides of the Gate".

In addition, he recalled that the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union will have consequences for Gibraltar and, citing the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, stressed that Spain will work for "the development of an area of ​​prosperity that covers the entire area of ​​Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar, and contribute to achieving social and economic convergence for the entire area. "

In that sense, as in previous years, the Spanish delegation again denounced before the Fourth Committee the "pernicious effects of having a colony nestled" in its territory.

Among other things, Santos recalled that the Gibraltar tax regime "has generated serious distortions in the economy of the area to the detriment of the Spanish and European coffers and the prosperity of the region."

"Spain has no problem with the local population of Gibraltar thriving in terms of their living conditions. On the contrary, we believe that there is a huge potential for improvement in relations between both sides of the gate and its economic repercussions and social, "he said.

However, he stressed, "what Spain cannot accept in any case is that the authorities of the Rock use that economic imbalance and that sui generis tax regime , which gives rise to illegal traffic, to harm the Campo de Gibraltar."

As usual, Santos presented to the UN the history of the Rock and stressed that the area is "the last colony in Europe."

The Spanish representative defended that the negotiations for an effective decolonization of Gibraltar "can only take place with full respect for international legality and within the framework of the doctrine established by the United Nations", and regretted that London has sometimes ignored the doctrine of the organization.

On the other hand, the main vice minister of the Rock, Joseph García, also referred to the situation that brexit poses and defended that "with good will and mutual respect it is possible to find positive solutions". "This is in the interest of both parties," said Garcia, who insisted on the economic importance that the Rock has for the entire region. "We have to ensure, in the context of Brexit, that citizens and businesses can continue with their daily lives. We must learn from the lessons of the past," he said.

In addition, Garcia reiterated the request he had already made a year ago for the United Nations to remove Gibraltar from its list of non-autonomous territories and accused the organization of ignoring the appeals of the Rock in this and other matters. "It's almost as if we didn't exist," the senior vice minister protested.

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