The Diplomat
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, held a telephone conversation yesterday with the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, with whom he spoke about the need to reach a “suitable agreement” on Gibraltar’s relationship with the EU “as soon as possible”.
As reported by the London Government, both leaders welcomed the “strong and growing economic, security and cultural ties between the UK and Spain, as well as wider cooperation with European partners” and Sunak highlighted the importance of working together on issues such as tackling illegal migration and energy security. He noted the opportunity our countries will have to address these shared challenges when the UK and Spain host future meetings of the European Political Community.
On Gibraltar, Sanchez and Sunak ” agreed on the importance of progressing negotiations on a UK-EU Treaty and concluding a suitable agreement as soon as possible.” Spain and the European Commission have presented a “global proposal” for the creation of a zone of shared prosperity between Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar, which has already been sent to the United Kingdom and which includes, as the most controversial point, the Spanish control of the external borders of the colony “on behalf of Schengen”. In mid-December, José Manuel Albares and his British counterpart, James Cleverly, assured in Madrid that there were already “clear advances” in the negotiations on Gibraltar’s future relationship with the EU, but did not want to advance any date for the agreement.
They also discussed the situation in Ukraine and reaffirmed the UK and Spain’s enduring support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s illegal invasion and for Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski’s peace plan.
