  |
FULL TEXT of Gibraltar Government statement:
|
The Gibraltar Government warmly welcomes the statement by Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon, in the House of Commons today, that the UK Government recognises that the forthcoming referendum on the Constitution will be an exercise of the right of self-determination by the people of Gibraltar in the context of the UN Charter.
The Government also welcomes the restatement that our right to self- determination is constrained by the Treaty of Utrecht only as to the independence option. The Gibraltar Government does not agree with the UK that the Treaty of Utrecht has this effect. However, this is academic since Gibraltar wishes to retain British sovereignty and does not seek independence.
The Government also welcomes the restatement, this time in the House of Commons that the new Constitution provides for a relationship that cannot be said to be based on colonialism.
The statement that the UK Government will consider our Referendum to be an act of selfdetermination now clears the way for the Gibraltar Government to convene the referendum on the new Constitution.
The Gibraltar Government agrees with the view expressed by Mr Hoon that, in practical terms, the new Constitution gives Gibraltar as much self-government and control of its own internal affairs as is compatible with continuing British Sovereignty, and Constitutional links with the UK, which Gibraltar wants to retain. Under the new Constitution, the UK retains responsibility for external affairs.
The Gibraltar and UK Governments will tomorrow publish the texts of the draft New Constitution, including the second preamble and the Despatch.
Commenting, Chief Minister Peter Caruana said:
?This is a logical, correct and very good outcome for Gibraltar. We will get, if approved in a referendum (which UK agrees is an act of self-determination) a Constitution which ends the process of achieving self-government for Gibraltar, for so long as we wish to retain our British Sovereignty and our Constitutional links with UK. In practical terms there is no more to go for. It will also leave us in a modern, mature relationship with the UK which, as UK asserts, cannot be said to be based on colonialism. This is a very satisfactory outcome for Gibraltar?.
|
|
|
|
