Algeciras (Cádiz) ** The mayor of Algeciras and president of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, José Ignacio Landaluce (PP), has expressed concern that the Gibraltar agreement “remains undisclosed,” leaving the Campo de Gibraltar region feeling like a “silent participant in the negotiations.”
Landaluce’s remarks followed an “informal conversation” revealed between Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, and the Attorney General of the British colony, Michael Llamas, discussing the future treaty document.
“Our suspicions are confirmed that the details of the Gibraltar agreement will remain hidden from those of us who share this territory on a daily basis, and it is clear that the Campo de Gibraltar region is sidelined in the negotiations,” Landaluce stated.
He reminded that the region has repeatedly sought clarity on the “political agreement” and any advances in drafting the actual agreement. “All we have received from the Spanish Government officials, particularly from Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares, are appeals for calm and assurances of progress on a document that would cater to Spain’s interests. However, it is evident that these messages serve only to distract and buy time, without revealing the true contents of the agreements reached between the European Union and the United Kingdom,” he added.
Landaluce noted that the existence of a text referenced by Picardo and Llamas, without a firm position on the matter, suggests that its 250-page content mostly aligns with their demands, which starkly contrasts with the shared benefits sought by the Campo de Gibraltar.
“We had hoped the British Government’s unwavering commitment to the people of Gibraltar, as mentioned by Picardo, would be mirrored by the Spanish Government’s support for the Campo de Gibraltar. Instead, we have only received vague reassurances that fail to address crucial issues affecting the economic future of a region historically under the shadow of a colony, and a poor agreement could leave us at a disadvantage,” he asserted.
The mayor of Algeciras concluded by emphasizing the necessity of having the same information as the other parties involved, as the future of the region and upcoming generations is at stake. (October 24)
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