Foreign Minister Fernando Morán Addresses the Question of Gibraltar (1982-1985)

Abstract

During his period as Spanish Foreign Minister in the first Socialist Government led by Felipe Gonzalez, Fernando Moran concentrated on two main objectives: attaining Spain’s entrance into the European Community and making substantial progress on the long-standing question of Gibraltar between Spain and the United Kingdom. After two and a half years, Moran reached both aims, which were interconnected, through separate negotiations, on the EEC with Brussels and on Gibraltar with his British colleague, Geoffrey Howe, not withouth sustained contacts with local leaders in Gibraltar and its neighbouring Campo. Those efforts paid off with the Brussels Declaration of 1984 between the Spanish and British Foreign Ministers, which opened the way to the “Brussels Process” in order to deal with all differences between the two countries on Gibraltar, including the sovereignty issues; at the same time, it was agreed to advance for a year the implementation of EEC norms to the human and economic relations between Gibraltar and its surrounding area, which soon afterwards led to the “reopening of the fence” separating them through the abrogation of the restrictive measures imposed in the 1960s under the Franco regime. Both aspects were duly implemented from early 1985 at the first ministerial conference of the Brussels Process, when Moran set forth his vision of Gibraltar’s future and submitted the proposals of the Spanish Government – which are detailed in this contribution – on a transitional period for the gradual reintegration of the Rock into Spain’s national territory, while assuring a wide measure of self-government for the Gibraltarians. Recalling all this not only has a historical interest; it also has a renewed current relevance following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, as the relative position of both countries is now somehow inverted: while the UK was then a member State of the EEC at the moment when Spain was calling at Europe’s door, now it is Spain the EU member State at a time when the UK is trying to negotiate its future realtionship with the EU. This is something which greatly interests Gibraltar, as a territory situated on the continent, whose citizens voted by an overwhelming majority in favor of remaining within the EU. Inevitably, by the UK’s initiative, the whole existing situation, which was very favourable for Gibraltar, is now in question, and Spain has at this juncture a decisive voice in the determination of the rules that will apply to the future relations of the EU with the UK and also with Gibraltar. This may be considered as Moran’s lasting legacy for Spain, Europe and Gibraltar.