HL Deb 28 October 1996 vol 575 cc106-7

2.46 p.m.

Lord Merrivale asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will ensure that Gibraltar can present its own separate interests in any process of dialogue between the United Kingdom and Spain under the Brussels Agreement.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)

My Lords, Gibraltar representatives should have the right to be present and to take a full and active part in such discussions, albeit as part of the UK delegation. There will inevitably be occasions when the Gibraltarian view may differ from that of the United Kingdom.

Lord Merrivale

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her Answer. However, if the Brussels Agreement is about the future status of Gibraltar, surely the people of that territory are entitled to an active involvement and participation in the talks, with a voice of their own, and not as a member of a British delegation?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I can assure my noble friend that the people of Gibraltar have an active involvement in any discussions. It simply would not be sensible to have technical talks—for instance, on local issues affecting Gibraltar—without the experts from Gibraltar present. It is more a presentational than a real matter. We will always have Gibraltar experts there but, as my noble friend well knows, the Spanish do not want a separate delegation. The Gibraltar representatives are there as part of the UK delegation.

Lord Clinton-Davis

My Lords, is the Minister aware that we very much agree with the position that she has just enunciated? It is a sensitive situation, of which I have experience, as she will recall. There was a difficulty over this issue when the European aviation package was being negotiated in 1986. Is it not better to pursue the matter in the way that she has indicated, by quiet diplomacy, rather than engaging in megaphone diplomacy?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I think that the House knows that I believe in quiet diplomacy; it frequently achieves far more. Let me make absolutely clear that there is no question of the United Kingdom sidelining Gibraltar from any discussions. We have said—I repeat it again—that we very much hope that Peter Caruana, the Gibraltar Chief Minister, will attend Brussels meetings to put the Gibraltar point of view. If he cannot attend, the meeting will go ahead, but we believe that he should be there and he will have a full participative role in those meetings, as the noble Lord indicated that he should have.

The Earl of Lauderdale

My Lords, will my noble friend confirm that the Government have said over and over again that there will be no change as regards Gibraltar without the consent of the people there?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, my noble friend is absolutely right.

Lord Merrivale

My Lords, perhaps I may ask a second Question of my noble friend. In the process of decolonisation, is it not fair and honourable that a territory—Gibraltar—should have its own separate voice to express its wishes? What steps are Her Majesty's Government taking for the United Nations Fourth Committee to adopt this requirement in a resolution? I understand that there is to be a resolution on this matter regarding Gibraltar. Are the Government seeking the support of some of our European Union partners on this issue?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, my noble friend tries to elevate this issue way beyond what is reasonable. We are working away quietly, as I said to his noble friend. We are working with the people of Gibraltar, through their Chief Minister and their experts. Our commitment in the declaration of 1994 makes it absolutely clear that we will honour the wishes of the people of Gibraltar as set out in the preamble to the 1969 constitution. Trying to bring the United Nations into what is a European matter between the United Kingdom, which is still responsible for Gibraltar, and Spain would be to go right over the top.