Taxi association questions legitimacy of letter

The taxi association have questioned the legitimacy of a letter received from the port, which is at the centre of the current dispute.

The letter was headed ‘Gibraltar Port Authority’ which is Mr Tony Davis, but it was signed by the Captain of the Port Mr James Ferro, who is from the Port Department, says the association.

It so happens that the association received page one of the two-page letter at 11.02am. But by the time the other page was received it was 1pm - and by that time 9 arrests had already taken place.

It was in the second page that the association were informed that the distribution of leaflets etc was not allowed.

It could be that the association will argue that wrongful arrests took place. Their legal team is looking into it.

A spokesman for the association said earlier that he had thought he lived in a democratic society “and unfortunately this is not the case.”

They had demonstrated in a peaceful manner - and were arrested for it.

He spoke of the Government’s own “Red lines”, a reference to the demarcation of the port area and the consequences for trespassing and protesting.

They accused Mr Joe Holliday, the minister, of having no will to enter negotiations.

MEETING

GTA chairman Clive Zammit had asked when they could sit down to discuss matters, but Mr Holliday allegedly replied: Until 6 weeks time when I meet with the Council of Ministers I cannot give you any decisions.

It was said that ministers are paid thousands of pounds and should be able to take decisions. There were also managers who were paid “handsome salaries.”

The GTA said they wanted “a final, definitive” solution - no more wasting time in meetings after meetings but getting nowhere.

SOS Charter appeal: For London rally in November

DRAKE supporters are appealing for urgent financial assistance to help pay towards the hiring of a special aircraft to take Gibraltarians to London in November- for a spectacular rally being planned in Trafalgar Square. Plymouth campaigners are also appealing for help towards costs incurred in organising a public meeting in the town's Guildhall next week in support of the Rock staying British.

The Golden Hinde Association is hoping to raise enough money to help pay for air-fare tickets for people in Gibraltar wishing to attend the 'London Supports Gibraltar Rally' by hiring a special Charter flight- but we desperately need help to make it happen.

The timing of the London rally will be announced after the Plymouth Guildhall debate, when activists from Gibraltar and the UK will decide the date of the Trafalgar protest.

The Golden Hinde Association Treasurer Mrs. Juanita Broughton will be pleased to accept cheques, made payable to the : Golden Hinde Association, Flat 5, 4 Esplanade, The Hoe, Plymouth, Devon, England, PL1 2PJ.

Or, people can simply walk into their interest nearest Abbey National Building Society branch in Main Street, Gibraltar. Local branches in Plymouth, and anywhere across the UK, giving our account details: K2107434GOL and make a donation.

Mrs. Juanita Broughton Treasurer of the Association said today, "Our group has made an appeal to the Gibraltar Government in London for help and assistance, especially making a contribution towards the funding of an aircraft to take supporters to London in November".

Kevin Kelway Chair of the Association said today: "These are unique times, requiring unique measures, and the hiring of an aircraft to take the people of Gibraltar to London in November will send a powerful message to the British Foreign Office- they will never ever forget". 

GIBRALTAR LIBERALS IN BRIGHTON CONFERENCE

A three-strong delegation from the Executive Committee of the Liberal Party of Gibraltar will be travelling to Brighton in order to attend the party conference of the British Liberal Democrats which opens this weekend. This is the first time that Gibraltar Liberals attend this kind of event. Given the tense political climate surrounding Gibraltar at this time, the Liberal Party felt that it was important to send delegates to Brighton this year even though this has never happened before.

The delegation is led by Liberal Party Leader Dr Joseph Garcia and includes Secretary General Steven Linares and former Chairman Jonathan Stagnetto. As in all three main parties in the United Kingdom, there are very good friends of Gibraltar in the Liberal Democrats but there are also others who are less friendly. There is therefore work to be done in providing encouragement to those who support Gibraltar, and in persuading those who still need to be convinced. 

On Tuesday night, Liberal Democrat friends of Gibraltar will be organising a fringe meeting , at which the Gibraltar point of view will be put forward. The meeting has been organised by Richard Copus, from Exeter Liberal Democrats, who is parliamentary spokesman in that area. 

A panel of four will deliver a short address and answer questions from the audience. Additionally, the organisers have also invited the Chief Minister to address the fringe meeting. The panel will consist of organiser Richard Copus, Hilary Wines the immediate past Mayor of Southwark, Baroness Emma Nicholson MEP and Gibraltar Liberal Leader Dr Joseph Garcia. The meeting is being chaired by the Vice President of the British Group of Liberal International Mr Peter Billeness.

All the panelists have been to Gibraltar before at different times to see the situation at first hand. Baroness Emma Nicholson MEP, sits both in the House of Lords and the European Parliament. She is a member of the European Liberal Democrats (ELDR), and was one of a group of MEPs formally recognised by the Gibraltar House of Assembly. It will be recalled that Richard Copus paid a four-day fact-finding visit to Gibraltar in February of this year at the invitation of the Gibraltar Liberal Party. Hilary Wines is a staunch supporter of Gibraltar and a frequent visitor, coming here most recently for National Day this year.

In addition to this, Liberal Party delegates have offered any help and assistance to the Government in manning any possible Gibraltar stand or event. Dr Garcia added that apart from the normal political activity that would be taking place, one to one meetings had also been arranged with a number of politicians in order to further put across the Gibraltar position

Weak response from UK, says Alliance

The wishy-washy response by the British representative at the United Nations, in reply to the Spanish speech, has been criticised by the GSLP/Liberal Opposition. 

The reply from London was weak, said the Opposition, and ignored the threat made by Ana Palacio over interference from Gibraltar against the bilateral Anglo-Spanish negotiating process.

The Opposition consider that the United Kingdom's response to the comments made by the Foreign Minister of Spain to the United Nations General Assembly are not good enough. The reply from London was weak and ignored the threat made by Ana Palacio over interference from Gibraltar against the bilateral Anglo-Spanish negotiating process.

SELF-DETERMINATION IGNORED

The United Kingdom should have told the world that it recognises the right to self-determination of the people of Gibraltar, and that the future of Gibraltar should be freely and democratically decided by the people of Gibraltar, in accordance with that right. This was the view that Britain defended before the United Nations in the 1960s.

In 1964, the British representative at the United Nations Mr Cecil King declared that "Her Majesty's Government does not accept that there was a conflict between the provisions of the Treaty of Utrecht and the application of the principle of self-determination to the people of Gibraltar." On the question of the future of Gibraltar, London told the UN, they would be guided, as the UN Charter required, by what HMG regarded as the paramount interests of the people of Gibraltar. There is a sharp contrast between what was said then and what is being said now.

The Opposition totally disagrees with the statement made by the UK this week that issues relating to Gibraltar could only be resolved through the kind of dialogue that was resumed last year. The UK representative was referring to the Anglo-Spanish negotiating process under the Brussels agreement that was relaunched in July 2001. The Opposition is and remains totally opposed to the Brussels negotiations. Far from being the only way to handle issues relating to Gibraltar, the negotiating process which was initiated in 1984, is what is being used to push us towards a joint-sovereignty deal with Spain.

UK HYPOCRITICAL

The Opposition consider it hypocritical for the UK to restate the preamble to the constitution and the principle of consent in their UN reply to Ana Palacio, in the same breath as the ongoing negotiations. The British Government should have learnt by now that Gibraltar does not want joint-sovereignty with Spain, and despite this knowledge they continue to "enter into arrangements" under which the sovereignty of Gibraltar would pass to another state. The wishes of the people of Gibraltar is that those "arrangements" are not entered into at all from the very outset.

The Opposition therefore consider that London's reply to Madrid is weak and pro-Spanish. It is all the more reason why there should be a massive "no" vote in the referendum of 7 November.

Taxi drivers in mass arrests

In a worsening situation at the port, as many as 43 taxi drivers were arrested by police yesterday. It followed the Introduction and enforcement by the Government of new port rules which the Gibraltar Taxi Association opposed.

The rules included that the entry point to the port would henceforth be at the Evacuation Roundabout whenever there is a cruise ship in port

Initially a barrier was set up there, manned by senior port staff as other port workers were supporting the taxi action.

A police cordon assisted.

Shortly thereafter, the taxi drivers decided to hold a meeting at the coach park to decide on what action to take. They decided to break through the barrier and move to the usual security control point by the Port Office.

It was then that the mass arrests started. Captain of the Port James Ferro informed the taximen that they were failing to comply with his directions and were obstructing police.

The taxi drivers were distributing leaflets and displaying banners.

A letter from the Captain of the Port addressed to taxi association president Clive Zammit earlier, said that "within the confines of the port, I do not authorise and will not allow the distribution of any form of leaflets or the display of any placards or notices."

It added: "For cruise calls, as from today and until further notice, the confines of the port extend as far as the Evacuation Roundabout."

ABOUT HALF ARRESTED

Police said that about half of the taxi drivers there had been arrested. It included at least a woman taxi driver.

There was no need for force and all went smoothly. The taxi drivers did not resist arrest.

Shortly after lunchtime a lengthy meeting took place at the Port department, attended by the Captain of the Port, Police officers and lawyer Fabian Picardo on behalf of the taxi association, The meeting appeared to have ended without agreement.

The crisis appears to be far from over

After the conclusion of the meeting at around 4pm, the taxi drivers who had not been arrested made their way to Police headquarters at New Mole Parade and staged a vigil there.

About an hour or so later, the taxi drivers who had been under arrest were bailed out.

It is clear that the decision by the Government had caused widespread anger among the taxi ranks. Many saw it as another move by the authorities against them, some saying that their livelihood was being threatened.

The Government was justifying their action on the grounds that the attitude of the taxi drivers was "calculated to embarrass international cruise companies through their clients."

This, said the Government, was a sure way of torpedoing Gibraltar's cruise industry.

MEETING

Tourism and Transport Minister Joe Holliday had held a meeting the previous day with GTA president Clive Zammit "to seek guarantees that future cruise calls expected at Gibraltar would not be affected by action similar to that taken by the GTA on the occasion of other recent cruise calls," as the Government put it in a statement.

"The Government regrets that the GTA have this morning refused to give this assurance," said the Government.

It was clear then that the Government had already decided what action to take.

In their statement yesterday, the Government said that, In order to minimise the effect of any action which the GTA night choose to take, "the Government has instructed the Captain of the Port, that the entry point to the port whenever there are cruise calls shall be by the Evacuation Roundabout."

Instead of minimising the effects of any action by taxi drivers, the new rules clearly made matters worse given the reaction from the protesting taxi drivers. It sparked off more arrests than anyone can remember.

The crisis appears to be far from over.

Government warning

"Those who act the way they acted this morning do not realise the damage they cause," said Mr Holliday.

The Goverment has warned of undertaking "a comprehensive and radical review" of public transport.

Mr Holliday added: The 1999 legislation was to protect the interests of the taxi association. It gives them a guaranteed share of the market.

The protection they currently enjoy could be done away with, he warned.

IN FULL Govt statement

The Minister for Tourism and Transport met the President of the Gibraltar Taxi Association on Tuesday to seek guarantees that future cruise calls expected at Gibraltar would not be affected by action similar to that taken by the GTA on the occasion of other recent cruise calls. The Government regrets that the GTA have this morning refused to give this assurance.

The position of the Government continues to be that it will not take sides in the dispute between the GTA and M.H.Bland. The Transport Regulations are law and must therefore be complied with.

The Government is not prepared to allow damage to be done to Gibraltar’s cruise industry by any player, which is detrimental to Gibraltar as a whole The Government knows that the cruise industry is fully aware of the resurgence of the on-going dispute between M.H.Bland and the GTA and that it has signalled its dissatisfaction and warned of the consequences.

September is a key month for cruise calls at Gibraltar, with 27 vessels expected by the end of the month, carrying in excess of 17,800 passengers plus crew. They include four cruise calls which are expected today, a further three tomorrow and four more on Wednesday 25 September. This is an important source of income for the economy, which the Government cannot allow to be put at risk.

In order to minimise the effect of any action which the GTA might choose to take, the Government has instructed, through the Captain of the Port, that the entry point to the Port whenever there are cruise calls shall be by the Evacuation Roundabout on North Mole Avenue. Additionally, the Captain of the Port has directed, pursuant to the Port Rules, that the display of placards or notices and the distribution of leaflets within the confines of the Port is prohibited. The issue by the GTA of leaflets, and the placing of banners which are calculated to embarrass international cruise companies through their clients is a sure way of torpedoing Gibraltar’s cruise industry. The GTA appears not to understand that these cruise companies make the decisions as to whether or not to include Gibraltar in their itineraries.

The Government made clear during the meeting with the President of the GTA that, if the undertaking to suspend their action were not forthcoming, it would be faced with no alternative but to take whatever action is necessary without further notice to ensure that cruise principals and their passengers while at Gibraltar are not subjected to any form of embarrassment, discomfort or pressure.

Should the current situation persist the Government will be left with no alternative but to undertake a comprehensive and radical review of the public transport industry in Gibraltar in order to ensure that it delivers the service that residents and visitors alike want and deserve.

IN FULL Letter from Captain of the Port

• FULL TEXT of letter sent by the Captain of the Port to Mr C Zammit, of the Gibraltar Taxi Association -

CRUISE CALLS ON WEDNESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2002

As Captain of the Port, and pursuant to the powers vested in me by the Port Rules, I have given instructions and directions which will be followed as from today, Wednesday 18 September 2002, whenever there is a cruise ship in port, until further notice, as follows:

1. The entry point to the Port shall be at the Evacuation Roundabout. A barrier will be erected at that point and only authorised vehicles and persons will be allowed to enter the Port.
2. The side road leading to Emerson Place will be closed.
3. Only pre-booked taxis required by the Shore Excursion Agents for the ships and taxis required for the provision of the shuttle service will be allowed beyond the entry point to the Port at the Evacuation Roundabout.
4. Taxis on stand-by for Shore Excursion Agents for tours will not be allowed to proceed beyond the Evacuation Roundabout.
5. What you term “free lance” taxis offering tours will similarly not be allowed to proceed beyond the Evacuation Roundabout.
6. A Shore Excursion Agent will need to supply the Port Office with the licence numbers of taxis which are to be hired for pre-booked tours. You should therefore arrange to supply the Shore Excursion Agents in question with the licence numbers of the taxis which will be supplied to meet their demands, so that they in turn can inform the Port Office.
7. You should similarly arrange for the Port Office to be informed in advance of the licence numbers of taxis which are to provide the shuttle service.
8. The terminus at the Western Arm for the shuttle service shall be to the east of the barrier outside the Port Offices.
9. Within the confines of the Port, I do not authorize and I will not allow the distribution of any form of leaflets or the display of any placards or notices. For cruise calls, as from today and until further notice, the confines of the Port extend as far as the Evacuation Roundabout. Obviously, I have no objections to your displaying placards anywhere to the east of the Evacuation Roundabout, outside the Port barrier.

For your information, Shore Excursion Agents will also need to advise the Port Office of their requirements for tour buses, as only those tour buses required to service the needs of the cruise calls will be allowed admission to the Port beyond the Evacuation Roundabout.

I would strongly urge that you provide any information required by Shore Excursion Agents for onward transmission to the Port Office with sufficient notice to ensure that there will be no hold-ups or difficulties at the barrier at the Evacuation Roundabout.

Yours sincerely,
Captain of the Port.

Week of protests

CAMPAIGNERS from across the South West of England are gearing up for a week of Gibraltarian protests- that will end in a spectacular rally being held in the Plymouth Guildhall on Thursday 26th September at 7pm. The Chief Minister of Gibraltar Peter Caruana will address city supporters in keeping the Rock fully British.

The protests will start on Saturday morning in the town centre, where local shoppers will see Sir Francis Drake in full battle dress handing out leaflets on Boots Corner at 10am, with other members of the Golden Hinde Association.

On Tuesday morning at 10am, supporters will be symbolically linking hands around the city’s war memorial on the Hoe for those who fought and died for the British nation. Representatives from the Voice of Gibraltar Action Group will lay flowers at the monument in respect of those who perished for democracy.

On Thursday afternoon the Chief Minister will arrive and visit the statue of Sir Francis Drake, and hold tea with civic leaders and supporters at the former residence of Lord & Lady Astor- now the civic home of the Lord Mayor. Ending with a massive rally in the main Guildhall where Westminster MPs will join other dignitaries and guests for a night of British celebrations in keeping the Rock under Crown control.

War veterans will form an honour guard in escorting the Chief Minister to the stage, where Sir Francis Drake lookalike Brian Whipp will help present a bust of the national hero to the Gibraltar boss. Live music will be played by members of Touchwood Productions to add a patriotic feel for the evening- ending with a reception in the lower Guildhall.

Meanwhile the Canadian Prime Minister passed on his best wishes to the peoples of Plymouth and Gibraltar in a phone call to our group on Tuesday afternoon- and hoped our Gibraltar campaign and rally will be a success. Many supporters across Canada signed the Plymouth petition that raised over 32,000 signatures that was presented to the Queen, Prime Minister, and Spanish ambassador in London recently.

Palacio’s veiled threat to Gibraltar’s human and political rights

The Opposition condemns the reference to Gibraltar in the speech given by the Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio to the General Assembly of the United Nations. However, it is clear that this is a curtain raiser for the line that is likely to be taken when the Gibraltar question comes up before the UN 4th Committee next month.

It will be recalled that the Opposition has long been predicting a change of Spanish position at the United Nations once the Brussels process was relaunched in July last year. In 1985, the United Nations welcomed the commencement of the negotiating process in Geneva that year at which joint-sovereignty proposals were tabled by Fernando Moran. The welcoming resolution made dear that as far as the UN was concerned, the process under way was the initiation of the negotiations with Spain for the decolonisation of Gibraltar as envisaged by the UN resolution of 1973. This resolution is what Spain has always claimed is the basis for the so-called UN doctrine which denies us self-determination and requires restoration of Spain’s territorial integrity.

SUPPORT

Every year the I United Nations supports the consensus resolution agreed beforehand by the United Kingdom and Spain, and urges both sides to resolve their differences and come to a final agreement. In this context, Ana Palacio has just told the General Assembly that London and Madrid arc very close to bringing the negotiations to a close. The Opposition considers that it is almost inevitable that the UK and Spain will he in a position to tell the I Jilted Nations that they have solved the question of Gibraltar’s decolonisation between themselves as the two interested parties. Both sides will then be in a position to tell the TIN that the legitimate interests of the colonial people have been protected in the new joint-sovereignty framework.

In the same way as every previous Spanish Foreign Minister, Ana Palacio has made the statement that the negotiating process is based on the doctrine of the United Nations which favours the territorial integrity of Spain as opposed to the self-determination of the Gibraltarians.

The Opposition considers that it is absurd for Ana Palacio to condemn any attempt to interfere with the ongoing negotiations. What should be totally and utterly condemned is any attempt to undermine the principle of self-determination and the human and political rights of the people of Gibraltar. The Opposition is determined to do precisely what Ana Palacio does not want us to do, which is to interfere with the negotiating process, derail it and prevent any concessions on sovereignty being made to Spain.

Gibraltarians have got every right to do this and Ana Palacio’s attempts to intimidate us will not work any more than the attempts of her predecessors. Ana de Palacios veiled threat are a blatant breach of the fundamental requirements of the Charter of the United Nations not to put pressure on a colonial people in order to influence decisions on their future. It is an absolute scandal that she should be allowed to get away with it. However, the Opposition is confident that Gibraltar will win this battle in the end whatever Spain gets up to.

Of course, the referendum is valid!

The Chief Minister is absolutely right. The referendum is valid - whatever the eccentrics in Britain and Spain might say.

At the time of the 1967 referendum, it was the United Nations - aided and abetted by Francoist Spain - that declared the referendum not valid. The UK did not agree.

Now it is the UK - also aided and abetted by Spain - which is trying to cloud the validity of the referendum.

Then, and now, the voice of the people will be heard, and whatever other voices might say, the referendum result will end up being upheld by anyone calling himself - or herself - a democrat.

If governments the world over can organise their own referenda (even the planned UK one on the Euro), why cannot the Gibraltar Government organise its own?

Spain claims Gib - and attacks Gib Government

NEW YORK, Tuesday: The Spanish foreign minister Ana Palacio said at the UN General Assembly today that it is about time' that the Gibraltar issue was resolved. But she placed a solution within the context of claiming the integration of Gibraltar in Spain. She also attacked the Gibraltar Government.

Ms Palacio said that, at the beginning of the 21st century, it is time to solve the Gibraltar problem in keeping with the UN resolutions which have favoured the application of the principle of territorial integrity.

In placing a solution within the context of inserting Gibraltar within the Spanish state, the Spanish minister was putting forward policies that find their root in the days of General Franco.

She told the assembly that there have been 'substantial advances' in the negotiations with the United Kingdom, referring to the Brussels process talks that have been going on since July last year.

Spain, she said, wants to find a solution as soon as possible that is globally satisfactory to both sides, "and which takes into account the legitimate interests of the residents of the colony."

She spoke about 'interests' and not about 'wishes'.

That is why, she added, any attempt to interfere with the progress in these negotiations must be condemned.

This was a reference to the plans by the Gibraltar Government to hold a referendum on the proposed sharing of sovereignty with Spain. It shows to what extent such policies in Gibraltar are seen as possibly blocking any agreement between London and Madrid.

But Ceuta and Melilla are part of Spain, she said, the same as the other regions of Spain, with equality and representation in the Spanish parliament.

CEUTA AND MELILLA

Ceuta and Melilla, on the other hand, are integral parts of Spanish territory. She hopes for good relations with Rabat and trusts that this path will be followed when she meets her Moroccan counterpart next week.

Need for greater UN involvement in Gibraltar issue, says Alliance

The Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio is reported to have discussed Gibraltar at a meeting with the Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan in New York. Mr Annan is reported to have expressed an interest in the situation of Gibraltar as well as in Spain's relations with Morrocco.

Reacting to this, the Opposition says it has long argued for a greater involvement on the part of the United Nations in the affairs of Gibraltar, given that we are one of the sixteen remaining colonies on its list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. East Timor was removed from the list in May of this year when they joined the international community as an independent country. It is the duty of the United Kingdom under the Charter to develop the level of self-government in Gibraltar until we are decolonised.

The Spanish media reports do not indicate what Palacio told Annan or vice versa. However, in the light of past experience, it would not be unreasonable to assume that the Foreign Minister of Spain was putting pressure on the Secretary General in order to ensure that Gibraltar is not treated in the same way as other territories on the list because it is subject to a territorial claim. This view has been expressed in the past by Spain over Gibraltar and by Argentina over the Falkland Islands.

LETTER

At the time when the House of Assembly Select Committee was drawing up a new constitution for Gibraltar, the Opposition Members were always insistent that the United Nations should be involved in the process. As a result, a letter was sent, outside the terms of the Committee, signed by the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to the Secretary General of the United Nations informing him of the work of the Select Committee. Given that the Opposition has not heard anything further on this point," we have to assume that the Secretary General has ignored this letter."

They add: In line with our policy, the Opposition will now be writing to the Secretary General of the United Nations sending him a copy of the new constitution and seeking his views on whether this constitution goes far enough in achieving the maximum level possible level of self-government leading to removal from the UN list of colonies and decolonisation.

Spanish take interest in Liberal International's meeting next week in Gibraltar

The Leader of the Liberal Party in Gibraltar, Dr Joseph Garcia, has played down the meeting in Gibraltar later this month of the executive committee of Liberal International, following the surfacing of Spanish interest in what is, in effect, an important meeting.

The executive committee are meeting here at the invitation of Dr Garcia, following the invitation made some 18 months ago. Liberal International have been supporting Gibraltar's right to self-determination. It is part of the extensive international lobbying carried out over the years by the Liberal Party.

"This is international backing without precedent for the independentist thesis of the Government of Gibraltar," noted the Spanish daily El Pais.

The meeting here is expected to approve a document which asks the UK to defend the Gibraltarian people in the face of the Spanish claim, and also asks Spain to respect the wishes of the Gibraltarians, said the report.

A member of the executive committee is CarIes Gasoliba, a member of the Catalan party CDC and also an MEP. He is considered as Catalan leader's Jordi Pujol's 'ambassador' in Brussels. He said the meeting was agreed some 18 months ago at the invitation of the Gibraltar Liberal Party.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry, which gets upset about anything to do with Gibraltar - even the holding of a dog show here - is said to be concerned at Gibraltar getting such international support.

Lord Alderdice, Speaker of the Northern Ireland parliament and joint president of Liberal International, last week travelled to Madrid to meet the Spanish director for Europe, Ramon de Miguel, in an effort to calm the Spaniards down.

The Gibraltar Liberal Party had not issued any statement about the meeting. However, the Spaniards are concerned because the party has put forward a resolution in support of Gibraltar. The resolution would be transmitted to the UN decolonisation committee.

The Spaniards note that prime ministers of a number of countries belong to Liberal International, including that of Canada, Belgium and Denmark. Liberal parties in countries such as Germany and the UK carry great weight in the organisation.

Liberal International is equivalent to other political organisations, such as the centre-democratic international which is at present led by the Spanish prime minister.

The meeting in Gibraltar is being held at a bad time for Spain, said observers in Madrid.

'It's not surprising that Liberal International is supportive of self-determination'
- Liberal Party leader Dr Garcia tells Spanish media

Liberal leader Dr Joseph Garcia was questioned at length yesterday by the Europa Press newsagency about the holding here of the Liberal International meeting. He said that the resolutions about decolonisation were no different to those already passed and approved at previous meetings, in Brussels in 1999 and Budapest in 2002.

Dr Garcia said that it was not surprising that Liberal International should support Gibraltar's thesis on self-determination as they have been doing so since 1999.

The resolution down for the meeting on 27 and 28 September makes no reference to the current Anglo-Spanish negotiations or to the referendum. Dr Garcia described it as 'more general'.

The Liberal Party, he said, had been organising this event for over a year. It is, after all, a meeting of independent political parties which has nothing to do with governments or with countries, he said.

Between 80 and 100 delegates are due to visit Gibraltar for the meeting. They will meet the chief minister and visit the House of Assembly, among other events planned for them.

It was in 1999 that Liberal International first passed a resolution supporting colonial territories to decide for themselves. That was in Brussels. The Gibraltar liberals had been accepted as full members the year before. Earlier this year in Budapest, the resolution said specifically that the future of Gibraltar should be freely and democratically decided by the people of Gibraltar in exercise of their right to self-determination.

Straw and Palacio in date riddle

As foreshadowed in PANORAMA yesterday, the meeting next week between the foreign secretary Jack Straw and the Spanish foreign minister Ana Palacio is unlikely to be a full meeting under the Brussels process, but rather another ‘preparatory’ meeting.

This is because both sides remain unable to reach a final conclusion about the once much-trumpeted deal.

Political observers were taking the view yesterday that, at best, Straw and Palacio might agree on a date for a formal meeting.

But getting the talks re-started is causing more problems than at first anticipated.

The “red lines” issue remains unresolved - and both sides say they won’t move.

As the talks have been moving forward, the problems for the UK government have also increased.

From Tony Blair downwards, ministers are getting the kind of stick they had not expected.

Neither side wants to be blamed - and put a brave face to a difficult situation.

But they keep putting off reaching a final deal.

Now, they seem entrenched in discussing the next phase in the negotiations which should have ended last July.

The last Governor

The I.L.F. has said that in their view the Governor David Durie should be not only our most recent Governor but in fact the last one ever.

“The Office of Governor is nothing but an outmoded colonial relic” said ILF Leader Lyana Armstrong-Emery. “When Gibraltar is decolonised there will be no more governors. When Gibraltar is a full part of Britain instead of just one of its possessions, such trappings will no longer have any relevance.

The ILF has always proposed integration with the UK. It can’t come soon enough and when it does we will choose our own representatives and leaders at every level, local, national and European,” they said.

‘Voice’ threaten “passive resistance” at military installations

The Voice of Gibraltar Group says it has noted the renewal of talks on the 27th of September, and would like to inform the mandarins at the Foreign Office via those at the Convent that “we will be monitoring the outcome of these talks very closely.”

In the event that the British Government continues to pursue in-principle concessions on sovereignty or any other matter without the consent of the People of Gibraltar, the Voice of Gibraltar Group will re-instate its campaign of passive resistance to these threats by utilising the Military Installations as its main tool.

“Upholding world democracy is important to the Gibraltarians, as it is to the rest of the democratic world, but when your own rights are being violated, this takes precedence above all other, with a reminder that Gibraltar has been at the forefront of all major conflicts of the past millennium with an acceptance of the risks involved,” they say in a Press statement.

Now is the time for all those with which we have stood shoulder to shoulder to uphold democracy and human rights worldwide, to stand with us in achieving our rights and stop this treachery from those governing the world’s oldest ‘democracy’, ends their statement.

Help us to help Gibraltar, says Women’s Association

The Gibraltar Women’s Association will be holding their forthcoming Annual General Meeting to be held on Monday 23rd September at 8.30pm at the conference room in the GFSB offices, 122 Irish Town. ALL women from school leaving age and upward are welcome.

“In preparing for this AGM our Committee have been perusing our archive files dating back some 40 years, normally kept by the Chairman of the day,” said the association.

They add: This is an extract from a letter written to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office by the Association in December 1981 when Gibraltar was faced with (among other things) the threatened closure of the Dockyard. It reads, “The Gibraltar Women’s Association is a body of women from all walks of life. One of its fundamental principles is a commitment to protect the interests of our families and community as a whole. This Association is apolitical but when a situation arises that threatens the wellbeing of our homeland, this Association believes it must speak out not only in the interests of its members but also in the interests of Gibraltar as a whole”.

Today, Gibraltar is still faced with many of the same problems that plagues us in the past and some new ones to boot. While Committees and members have come and gone, the Association’s aim to protect the interests and wellbeing of our families and our community as a whole is as important to us today as it ever was. Please therefore, help us to help Gibraltar by supporting us with your membership. Together, we can make a difference, says a Press Release sent to Panorama.

“We look forward to seeing you on Monday 23rd September. Anyone who wishes to apply for membership but is unable to attend our meeting can contact us on the following Gibraltar numbers: 46010 (evenings) 54016941 (daytime) 72233 (evenings) 54355000 (daytime),” 

Arson, says Police

In the early hours of Sunday, RGP and City Fire Brigade personnel answered to calls of a fire at the McDonalds Restaurant in Europort Avenue. Upon arriving in the area it was seen that the fire was limited to the ‘Ronald McDonald’ fibreglass mascot situated on the forecourt of the premises, adjacent to the Children’s playing area of this restaurant. 

The fire was quickly extinguished my means of water and damage to the main building was minor. RGP are currently investigation this incident which is being treated as arson with damage estimated to be around £2,500.

Murder charge: Police statement

“At 0925hrs Sunday 15th September, officers from shift of the Area Division, arrested a Spanish Male National (Moroccan origin), on suspicion of MURDER.

The victim, a Moroccan National sustained a stab wound to the area of the chest and was found in a flat in the area of Carreras Passage.

Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department are dealing with this case.



Victim:- MOHAMED DECHRAQUI

11/1 CARRERAS PASSAGE

DOB: 1/1/69

Defendant:- ABDEL HAMID EL GHALOURI EL HATMI

Calle FORTUNE BLQ 1. 2-12, LA LINEA

DOB: 4/5/69

Both men are employed with a local company.

EL GHALOURI was interviewed and was then charged with the offence of MURDER and left in cells pending his court appearance on 16 September 2002.

The Coroner was informed who ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the victim.

The body of the deceased was left in St Bernard’s Hospital mortuary pending a Post Mortem by the pathologist”.

The accused was remanded in custody and given legal aid. 

'Red-lines' row could wreck Anglo-Spanish agreement

The Spanish foreign minister Ana Palacio has indicated that the 'red line' issues could stop a deal being done over Gibraltar, and that the meeting on 27 September with Jack Straw is not expected to centre on Gibraltar. At the same time, Morocco has claimed Ceuta and Melilla at the United Nations in the name of decolonisation and territorial integrity.

Ms Palacio has been in New York since last week, where speeches are being made by the different delegations.

She says that until she gains full understanding of the Gibraltar issue she will not agree to a formal and full meeting of the Brussels process, and that other meetings are just preparatory.

She does not discard, however, that on 27 September the Gibraltar issue will not be touched upon, but not in great depth.

She points at other current issues, such as the forthcoming EU general affairs meeting at the end of the month with such red-hot topics as EU enlargement and Iraq on the agenda.

Ms Palacio adds that she has the 'red lines' over Gibraltar perfectly defined and that trespassing them would not be compensated by a deal.

The 'red lines' are those points of difficulty that Britain says need to be addressed by Spain if there is to be an agreement. They include Spain's desire that joint sovereignty should not exclude full Spanish sovereignty in the future, the military base and the value of any referendum held in Gibraltar by the British Government in accordance with its commitment to the Gibraltarians under the preamble to the 1969 Constitution.

The Brussels process, she adds, is about reaching an agreement in the interests of the inhabitants of Gibraltar. On that point she says she agrees with London.

Morocco lays claim to Spanish enclaves

Morocco has meanwhile claimed Ceuta, Melilla and the other islets in the area in a speech on Saturday before the UN General Assembly by the Moroccan foreign minister Mohamed Benaissa.

"The recovery of these parts of its national territory which are occupied by Spain," is a matter of priority for the Moroccan King,.

Mr Benaissa added that "in doing so, Morocco expresses its readiness to engage in dialogue to arrive at a solution that guarantees the sovereign rights of Morocco and secure the interests of the Spanish community in these regions."

The highlighting of the claim comes before his meeting with Ms Palacio in Madrid next Monday, when the Moroccans want to raise all issues of contention with Spain, which does not want to talk about her enclaves saying that the people there are not colonial and have equal rights to other Spaniards.

It is clear that Morocco is applying to Spain the same logic she applies to Gibraltar, hence the Spanish position at the UN and elsewhere is being exposed by Spain wanting the Rock and not wanting to give up its rocks on the other side of the Strait.

Opposition says UK Government is guilty of double-standards

The Opposition say in a statement today that they consider that the British Government "is guilty of hypocrisy and double-standards" when it comes to their treatment of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.

In a message to the islanders commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the liberation of the Falkland Islands in 1982, the Prime Minister Tony Blair has highlighted the basis of developing practical dialogue with Argentina in the context of the following commitment. Mr Blair has said:

"In all our dealings with Argentina, however, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT THE SOVEREIGNTY, SECURITY AND RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS AND ITS PEOPLE ARE NOT OPEN TO NEGOTIATION AND COMPROMISE. 

The islands will continue to be British for as long as you want them to. It is this commitment which should allow you to cooperate with out neighours in a climate of confidence and trust."

Three other British Labour Ministers have also made formal speeches guaranteeing the future of the islands based on respect for the right to self-determination.

The Opposition considers that the fact that Tony Blair is seeking to persuade the Falkland Islanders to cooperate with Argentina in a climate of confidence and trust shows that, even with the guarantees that he has given the islanders, they are hesitant to get involved in any dealings with Argentina. In particular, the shoddy treatment of Gibraltar by the British Government in the last twelve months has produced a jubilant reaction in Argentina. Buenos Aires now expects at some time in the future a similar treatment of the Falklands. This has led to uneasiness among elected representatives of the Falkland Islands over what they see as a British Government u-turn incompatible with the assurances spelt out in the Gibraltar Constitution.

It is clear that by the criteria set by the Prime Minister himself, Gibraltarians should not be willing to cooperate with our neighbours since the basis for a climate of confidence and trust does not exist, in the absence of a similar guarantee that our sovereignty and our right to self-determination are not open to compromise or negotiation. The Prime Minister's statement exposes the double-standards of the British Government in laying down tough conditions before dialogue with Argentina can take place, but not laying down the same tough conditions with Spain over Gibraltar.

The Opposition believes that Gibraltar should be united in the demand that any dialogue with Spain should be subject to the same conditions as Tony Blair proposes for any dialogue with Argentina. In the same way as over the Falkland Islands, there should be no further negotiations between the UK and Spain in which sovereignty and the right to self-determination can be open to negotiation or compromise.

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