LONDON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- U.K. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in a written commentary Monday there is no question of Britain's handing over Gibraltar to Spain, and he demanded an end to "Spanish antagonism" over the issue.
Straw's remarks in an article were published in the Gibraltar Chronicle only hours before he and Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique met over lunch in London for the third time to discuss the future of the Mediterranean colony at the southern tip of Spain.
Under terms of the Treaty of Utrecht, Britain has exercised sovereignty over "The Rock" since 1713, but Spain now wants it back.
Talks between London and Madrid have been under way since last spring, but Straw in his newspaper commentary dismissed reports of "secret deals" involving shared sovereignty, or even turning Gibraltar over to Spain, as "loose talk."
"There is nothing inevitable about the outcome of dialogue," he said. "Discussions with the Spanish have proceeded well so far, but there are still difficult issues to resolve."
"However," wrote Straw, "let me make it clear what is not negotiable. There must be an end to Spanish antagonism," including border delays, flight restrictions, access to telephone lines "or even pigeon racing events" that have dogged the lives of Gibraltarians.
"Gibraltar's way of life, its culture and British traditions, will be preserved," he pledged. "The people of Gibraltar will retain their British citizenship."
Britain and Spain have both said they hope to reach an agreement over the issue of Gibraltar by August. But no matter what the governments decide, Straw said, the final say will rest with the citizens of Gibraltar, in the form of a referendum.
"The people of Gibraltar will be the final arbiters of whether or not (any agreement between London and Madrid) is implemented," he said. "Our guarantee on a referendum ... is clear."
Diplomatic observers suggested the key for Madrid is getting London to agree to joint sovereignty, even if the Gibraltarians themselves later reject it. "Spain sees diplomatic benefits in getting such a declaration with Britain, even if it is turned down in a referendum," one said.
Peter Hain, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's minister for Europe, told the British Broadcasting Corp. on Monday that "we've not agreed any final set of proposals on sovereignty."
"But," he added, "we have made significant progress in guaranteeing Gibraltarians British citizenship, their way of life, maximum self-government and normalization of relations with Spain."
