Gibraltar 'won't be at centre of Brexit talks', Dastis tells FT

Spain will not put Gibraltar at the centre of Brexit negotiations, the country’s Foreign Minister, Alfonso Dastis Quecedo, said in an interview with the Financial Times.
Sr Dastis also told the newspaper that the EU should start trade talks with Britain relatively soon and had no plan to impose a “punitive” Brexit deal that would weaken London as a financial centre.
The Spanish minister played down fears that Spain’s sovereignty aspirations over Gibraltar could become a serious stumbling block for the negotiations.
“My personal opinion is that we won’t put Gibraltar at the centre of negotiations,” he told the FT.
“The situation is actually very clear and there is nothing for us to ask for: The UK leaves the EU and Gibraltar leaves the EU.”
“If Gibraltar wants to make a life outside the EU, they are perfectly free to do so.”
Sr Dastis also voiced support for a transitional agreement to avoid a disorderly UK withdrawal from the EU, the newspaper reported.