Fernando Morán dies at 96

Fernando Morán, the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time the border reopened in 1983, has died at the age of 96.
Mr Morán was Foreign Minister in the first Socialist government of Felipe Gonzalez between 1982 and 1985, and also led the negotiations for Spain’s entry into the then European Community in 1985.
He was later Spain’s permanent representative at the UN and an MEP for three consecutive terms.
Mr Morán is known for acknowledging that Gibraltarians had a say in their future.
“If Spain was handed Gibraltar on a plate against the wishes of its people it would be a bad deal for Spain,” he once said.
His son, Fernando Morán Calvo-Sotelo, was the Spanish Foreign Ministry’s representative in the Campo de Gibraltar in 2017-18.
Yesterday the Chief Minister expressed condolences on behalf of the Government of Gibraltar, and on behalf of the people of Gibraltar, to Mr Morán’s family.