Spanish Foreign Minister states position on Gibraltar

ON AUGUST 18, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo stated that the Spanish position on Gibraltar was quite clear and that Madrid would be defending its interests in the immediate future.

One of the main problems according to him is the argument over territorial control of the waters around Gibraltar. He repeated his Government´s belief that the tax regime only benefited Gibraltar and tobacco smuggling in particular was still a major bone of contention.

Despite all this, García-Margallo indicated that Spain was committed to dialogue concerning these matters as well as decolonisation, provided that Spain´s interests were protected.