Politics of Gibraltar - United Nations

United Nations

Gibraltar was caught unawares when the whole issue of the relationship between The Rock and rest of Britain, as well as the question of Spain was brought before the United Nations Committee on Decolonization, otherwise known as the Committee of 24, in 1963.

Resolution 2231, which recalls UN Resolution 1514 (XV) (which guarantees the right of self-determination of all peoples), states that Considering that any colonial situation which partially or completely destroys the national unity and territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which forms part of the Spanish claim. It also urges United Kingdom and Spain to overcome their differences, respecting the "interests" of the people of Gibraltar and declares the 1967 referendum being a "contravention of the provisions of Resolution 2231.

Resolution 2353 (XXII) was supported by seventy-three countries (mainly Latin American, Arab, African and Eastern European countries), rejected by nineteen (United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations), while twenty-seven countries abstained (Western Europe and the United States).

Since then and up to the present time, representatives of Gibraltar have regularly petitioned the UNC24 and the UNC4, although no progress has been achieved. The Committees regularly roll out their 'consensus resolution' which:

• (a) Urges both Governments, while listening to the interests and aspirations of Gibraltar, to reach, in the spirit of the statement of 27 November 1984, a definitive solution to the question of Gibraltar, in the light of relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and applicable principles, and in the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations;

• (b) Welcomes the ongoing successful implementation of the first package of measures concluded at the Tripartite Forum for Dialogue on Gibraltar.

Unwilling to tear the delicate skin of Spain’s historic position over Gibraltar, Britain is nonetheless gently pointing an already more pragmatic Spanish Government down the path of consensual politics over Gibraltar.

The commitment of the British Government is not to hold the talks envisaged by the above resolution without the consent of the Gibraltarians.

The Government will never - "never" is a seldom-used word in politics - enter into an agreement on sovereignty without the agreement of the Government of Gibraltar and their people. In fact, we will never even enter into a process without that agreement. The word "never" sends a substantial and clear commitment and has been used for a purpose. We have delivered that message with confidence to the peoples and the Governments of Gibraltar and Spain. It is a sign of the maturity of our relationship now that that is accepted as 's position.

The effective stalemate has led Peter Caruana to conclude that attending future meetings of the Committee of 24 is a pointless exercise.