By John Smith • Published: 04 Oct 2017 • 8:11
Gibraltar delegations at the UN
SPEAKING to a United Nations Committee on Colonisation in New York on Tuesday, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo once more rejected Spanish claims to the Rock.
In a calm but passionate speech, he once again explained the position of Gibraltarians who have made it clear in two separate votes divided by 35 years that they had no wish to give up their current peaceful existence.
Without directly referring to it, it was clear that the situation in Cataluña was ‘the elephant in the room’ and he made it clear that whilst Gibraltar wanted good relationships with Spain, sovereignty was not up for discussion.
Referring to the recent visit of Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis to La Linea, he made it clear that whilst impressed with the softening of the Spanish attitude, he believed that La Linea, like Gibraltar, had been a victim in the past of Madrid’s “all too frequent tantrums”.
“It was not what they see in La Linea that turns Gibraltarians off Spain.
“It is what we see in Madrid that we do not like” he added.
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Married to Ophelia in Gibraltar in 1978, John has spent much of his life travelling on security print and minting business and visited every continent except Antarctica. Having retired several years ago, the couple moved to their house in Estepona and John became a regular news writer for the EWN Media Group taking particular interest in Finance, Gibraltar and Costa del Sol Social Scene. Currently he is acting as Editorial Consultant for the paper helping to shape its future development. Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews
Barbara saysâ Imagine if the Spanish owned and ruled the Isle of Manâ¦â well they donâÂÂt and as the I o M isnâÂÂt part of the UK anyway who cares? Now thereâÂÂs money to be made in Gib they grumble about Colonialism. What they conveniently forget to acknowledge is their own bit of Colonialism of a part of Morocco on the exact opposite side of the Straits of Gibraltar, called Cueta. A case of glass houses and throwing stones me thinks?
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