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Spain in rare talks on Gibraltar | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Spain's foreign minister has held talks in Gibraltar with his UK counterpart - the first visit by a Spanish minister for 300 years. | |
Miguel Angel Moratinos and David Miliband sought greater maritime, financial and judicial co-operation. | |
The disputed territory has been a great source of tension between the nations since Britain captured it in 1704. | The disputed territory has been a great source of tension between the nations since Britain captured it in 1704. |
The UK insists it will not hand over Gibraltar against residents' wishes despite Spanish sovereignty claims. | The UK insists it will not hand over Gibraltar against residents' wishes despite Spanish sovereignty claims. |
Border closed | Border closed |
Mr Moratinos crossed the border at lunchtime on Tuesday for the talks, which included Gibraltar's chief minister Peter Caruana. | |
Gibraltar has been a British possession since 1704 | |
The meeting - part of the "tripartite forum" between the three countries - deliberately avoided the issue of sovereignty, focusing instead on issues of concern to the 30,000 Gibraltarians. | |
The talks went ahead despite a new row over Gibraltar's territorial waters. | |
The Gibraltarian government opposed a reported move by Spain to use a European Commission environmental directive to officially denote the surrounding seas as Spanish. | The Gibraltarian government opposed a reported move by Spain to use a European Commission environmental directive to officially denote the surrounding seas as Spanish. |
The Self-determination for Gibraltar group has called on Gibraltarians to fly union jacks during the Spanish minister's visit. | The Self-determination for Gibraltar group has called on Gibraltarians to fly union jacks during the Spanish minister's visit. |
Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 but has long said it should return to Spanish sovereignty. | Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 but has long said it should return to Spanish sovereignty. |
The border between Spain and Gibraltar was closed by Spanish dictator General Franco in 1969 and did not fully reopen until 1985. | The border between Spain and Gibraltar was closed by Spanish dictator General Franco in 1969 and did not fully reopen until 1985. |