London meeting between Lammy and Albares is to understand Spanish treaty position, not to negotiate - FCDO

Foreign Secretary David Lammy hopes to get an understanding of Spain’s position in the Gibraltar treaty talks direct from his Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Albares, on Monday, but has made clear the meeting in London is not to negotiate.

The UK will only negotiate in respect of Gibraltar when the Gibraltar Government is at the table, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said on Saturday.

“There will be no negotiations with respect to Gibraltar on Monday, or at any meeting with the Spanish at which the Government of Gibraltar is not present,” an FCDO spokesperson said.

The FCDO was reacting after Spanish media reports said Mr Albares was travelling to London to push ahead with the treaty negotiation.

The meeting comes after Mr Lammy met with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo earlier this month to discuss the talks.

Mondays meeting is not just about Gibraltar but rather Will cover “the full spectrum of the UK-Spain bilateral relationship”, the FCDO spokesperson said.

“Both Foreign Ministers are committed to exploring ways of deepening the bilateral relationship, across economic and trade issues, people-to-people links and wider foreign policy cooperation.”

“The Foreign Secretary is keen to understand the Spanish position on the Gibraltar negotiations.”

“In his meeting on 4 September with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo, the Foreign Secretary recommitted this Government’s unshakeable commitment to the double lock - the UK Government will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State, against their freely and democratically expressed wishes.”

“And we will never enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.”

The Gibraltar Government also reacted to media reporting in Spain on Monday's meeting, noting it was the first time Mr Lammy and Mr Albares would meet formally bilaterally since the UK general election.

"The meeting is therefore a wide ranging meeting on all relevant, bilateral, foreign policy matters and certainly not a meeting to negotiate any aspects of the ongoing UK/EU Treaty negotiations," a spokesperson for No.6 Convent Place said.  

"Having said that, it is likely that matters related to Gibraltar may be raised by Spain."

"The Foreign Secretary and the Chief Minister have spoken and have met ahead of this meeting to prepare for any issues that may be raised in this and other ongoing contact between officials."

"The positions of the United Kingdom and Gibraltar governments are fully and absolutely aligned in every respect on all matters related to the ongoing UK/EU negotiations, to the positive outcome of which the Government of Gibraltar remains fully committed in keeping with the negotiating mandate agreed with the UK."

"The Government of Gibraltar will never agree to any bilateral negotiations over Gibraltar between the UK and Spain whether under any process or on any ad hoc basis."

"The Government of Gibraltar remains committed to the Trilateral Forum for Dialogue which the PSOE was previously supportive of when in Government."