The United Kingdom restates its longstanding commitment to the people of Gibraltar
Statement of the delegation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in exercise of the right of reply to the remarks made by the Prime Minister of Spain in the general debate on 25 September 2012
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recalls its sovereignty over Gibraltar and the Territorial Waters surrounding it and reaffirms that as a separate territory, recognised by the United Nations and included since 1946 in its list of non-self governing territories, Gibraltar enjoys the individual and collective rights accorded by the UN Charter. The 2006 Gibraltar Constitution provides for a modern and mature relationship between Gibraltar and the UK. This description would not apply to any relationship based on colonialism.
The United Kingdom restates its longstanding commitment to the people of Gibraltar that it will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their wishes. The United Kingdom also confirms that it will not enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.
The United Kingdom notes that both it and Gibraltar desire to continue the Trilateral Forum for Dialogue, as the most credible, constructive and practical means of strengthening UK-Gibraltar-Spain relations for the benefit of all parties, but the United Kingdom recognises the Forum cannot continue in the absence of agreement between all parties to its resumption. The United Kingdom regrets the fact that the Government of Spain withdrew from those talks in 2011 and stands ready to explore new ways of taking forward dialogue and co-operation on issues of mutual importance by any means that fully reflect the interests, rights and responsibilities of the people of Gibraltar.