Albares looks beyond July 4 for ‘final push’ on treaty

Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares, said on Monday he hoped to give “the final push” to talks for a Gibraltar treaty once a new UK Government is elected on July 4.

Mr Albares was asked about the Gibraltar negotiation during a press conference in Madrid alongside his Egyptian counterpart.

He was speaking ahead of a visit today to the Campo de Gibraltar, where he will meet with the region’s mayors before attending a political rally in San Roque ahead of Sunday’s EU elections in Spain.

Mr Albares noted that after the last high-level meeting in Brussels on May 16, the political lines were “more or less settled” and that technical work was continuing.

“The technical negotiations are ongoing,” he told reporters.

“And of course, as soon as the new government is in place in the United Kingdom, whoever the British people decide, I will meet with my new colleague to give the final push and achieve this agreement which, at least on the Spanish side, we have wanted from the very beginning.”

“I am sure it will be positive for Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar.”

Today’s meeting with Campo mayors will be the third in less than a month.

Mr Albares first met with the mayors in Madrid and later again virtually after the Brussels meeting.

The meeting will take place in Algeciras at 6pm, after which Mr Albares is expected to brief reporters.

He will later move to San Roque where he will attend a PSOE political rally at 8pm.