Garcia welcomes Sanchez’ comments as he opens Brexit conference

The Deputy Chief Minister last night welcomed comments by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in respect of Gibraltar.

In opening the symposium, ‘Bordering on Brexit’, at the Gibraltar Garrison Library Dr Garcia said: “We echo the optimism and the goodwill in those words.”

Mr Sánchez, speaking in Salzburg, said his government would be looking for agreements for the transition covering cooperation on police, judicial matters, the environment, taxation, tobacco and citizens rights.

He also spoke of economic cooperation between Gibraltar and the region. He said there are two dimensions – the UK/EU relationship - and a second bilateral, dimension between Gibraltar and Spain.
Dr Garcia added: “We have pledged throughout this process as a government to leave no stone unturned in the aftermath of the 2016 referendum.”

“That is exactly what we have done,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister opened the two-and-a-half day symposium with an address that provided an historical analysis of the Commonwealth and elements of empire, the colonial and post-colonial.
“The phrase embers of Empire conjures up the fourteen remaining United Kingdom Overseas Territories,” Dr Garcia said.

“In a strict, legal sense this is what is left of the Empire.”

These are: Anguilla, Ascension, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, St Helena, the Turks and Caicos, Montserrat, Pitcairn, the sovereign bases in Cyprus,

“And of course Gibraltar.”

“All of us have different issues as we prepare to leave the European Union,” Dr Garcia told delegates.