GIBRALTAR
Gibraltar was ceded to Britain by Spain in perpetuity in
1713 under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht, which also declared that Britain could not divest itself of sovereignty
over Gibraltar without first giving Spain the option to
acquire the territory. Britain's position is perfectly clear.
Gibraltar will remain part of Her Majesty's Dominions unless
and until an Act of Parliament otherwide provides. Moreover
the Government stand by the commitment, which is contained
in the preamble to Gibraltar's 1969 Constitution, that the
people of Gibraltar will not pass under the sovereignty of
another state against their freely and democratically
expressed wishes.
This commitment was reiterated in the Lisbon agreement of
10 April 1980, which provided for the lifting of Spanish
restrictions on Gibraltar and for the start of negotiations
aimed at overcoming all the differences between Spain and Britain
over Gibraltar. As my right honourable Friend the Foreign and
Commonwealth Secretary announced to the House on 22 June, the implementation of the Lisbon agreement, due to take place on 25
June, has been postponed at the request of the Spanish Government.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.