Spain and Britain see sense over Gibraltar reference - Watson

5.49.37pm GMT Mon 12th Feb 2007

Liberal Democrat MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, Graham Watson, has commended Spanish and British Government Ministers for seeing sense over a reference to Gibraltar which had threatened to hold up EU sanctions against Iran.

Speaking from Strasbourg, Graham Watson MEP said:

"I am pleased to note that sense appears to have prevailed and that the UK and Spanish Foreign Ministers have reached agreement over the reference to Gibraltar.

The fact that a centuries-old dispute between Britain and Spain on Gibraltar should threaten to hold up important EU sanctions against rogue states highlights how long overdue these problems are to be solved and how hopelessly optimistic Tony Blair was over last year's deal with Spain on Gibraltar.

I recently tabled a Parliamentary Question to the European Council and the Commission on the subject of the EU Arms Embargo on North Korea, which has also been blocked because the Spanish government object to the passing mention of Gibraltar in the Treaty. I hope the cooperation we have seen today will hold and that an agreement can also be reached over North Korea."

Recent problems between London and Madrid have centred on Spain's refusal to accept EU texts listing Gibraltar as among 'competent authorities' to apply international sanctions. The UK Government has insisted that Gibraltar needs to be mentioned, as the arms sales sanctions apply to the possible freezing of funds in bank accounts held in Gibraltar, whereas Spain have maintained that only the UK Government should be mentioned as the authority to administer such sanctions.