Frontex out of the way, but both sides are still not in a final, definitive embrace

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 Wednesday, October 6, 2021 - 09:24 Joe Garcia

THE 13-POINT UK/GIBRALTAR POSITION THAT PAVES THE WAY

Although the visible Frontex impediment is out of the way, this does not necessarily mean that both sides are now in a final and definitive embrace. To marry the two sides may still be problematic, because a cursory reading of the two positions evinces serious differences of opinion.
As so far explained, Spanish police will not control border, airport and port movements, it will be Frontex which is an EU police. Even the question of the wire fence could lead to a political punch-up, as the Spaniards keep saying that the actual fence will be physically removed, while people in Gibraltar see the actual fence as a demarcation of sovereignty. 


What about the New Year's Eve framework agreement which is our position? There is a joint UK-Gibraltar approach to the upcoming negotiations with the EU. In fact, there are 13 salient points - and there are those who reckon that 13 is an unlucky number...
The framework for this treaty was agreed with Spain on 31st December 2020, welcoming the constructive and forward-looking approach taken by the Spanish Government in these negotiations, and reiterating their commitment to continue this next phase in the same spirit of shared partnership.

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