November 9, 2002	Saturday	Ramazan 3,1423

GIBRALTAR: Gibraltar made clear its objections to Spain having a say in its affairs with a resounding “no” to a Spanish- British plan of joint sovereignty over the British enclave.

Gibraltar had sent “a clear message to the world”, Chief Minister Peter Caruana declared on Friday, a day after a referendum showed 98.97 per cent were against the plan.

Neither Madrid or London recognized the referendum and while they downplayed its significance, the result was clearly a cold shower for the shared sovereignty plan.

The 88 per cent voter turnout exceeded that of the 2000 parliamentary elections, and the result was the same as in a 1967 referendum on sovereignty, indicating that Gibraltar’s 27,000 residents had remained ferociously anti-Spanish.

The referendum turned into a pro-British festival, with people sporting Union Jack socks and pictures of Winston Churchill and mobbing Spanish passers-by who dared to say a word in favour of their country.

British forces captured the rocky outcrop of 6.5 square kilometres on Spain’s southern coast in 1704. It was formally ceded to Britain by the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, but Spain has never given up trying to recover it.

Once a key military post, Gibraltar is now sustained by offshore banking, tourism and port activities.

Britain would like to solve the 300-year conflict and put an end to the constant friction with Spain in the European Union by sharing sovereignty of Gibraltar — if only Gibraltar were not so vehemently against it.

Gibraltar wants to keep its Mediterranean brand of British culture, from bobbies to pubs and fish and chips shops.

Spanish attempts to force the issue by closing the Gibraltar border from 1969 to 1985, banning flights and restricting telephone links fuelled the anger of Gibraltar residents at Spanish “bullying”.

Spain did its best to downplay the results, with Foreign Minister Ana Palacio saying the referendum had “no judicial effect whatsoever” and that talks would continue with Britain on the future of Gibraltar.

The foreign affairs committee of the British parliament said the talks with Spain should never even have started against the will of Gibraltar.

Critics point out that Europe is dotted with enclaves and that Spain has no practical need to integrate Gibraltar into its territory.

The referendum could have a decisive influence on British policies at a time when the talks with Spain have run into difficulties, analysts said.

Major hitches have cropped up, including differences over the status of Gibraltar’s military base and Spain’s long-term hopes for full sovereignty. —dpa