Johnson reaffirms UK commitment to trilateral dialogue

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has told his Spanish counterpart that Britain and Gibraltar want a return to trilateral dialogue, rejecting a call for bilateral talks.

Mr Johnson replied to a letter from Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo by making clear there would be no movement on sovereignty against the wishes of the Gibraltarians.

The Chronicle reported on the Foreign Secretary’s letter yesterday and the Foreign Office subsequently confirmed its contents.

“We can confirm we received a letter from the caretaker Spanish Foreign Minister on 20 September requesting a meeting to discuss Gibraltar,” a Foreign Office spokesman said. “The Foreign Secretary’s response made it clear that the UK’s position on sovereignty was unchanged.”

“We will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their wishes.”

“Furthermore, the UK will not enter into any process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.”

“The Foreign Secretary also underlined the UK and Gibraltar’s long standing wish to return to the Trilateral Forum of Dialogue to discuss any issues of shared interest with Spain.”