Oct 02 – Alvarez “Shocked” By FCO Response To Catalan Vote
Felix Alvarez, the Equality Rights Group Chairman, has immediately written to British Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to express the group's ‘shocked concern’ at what he described as the British Government’s 'anemic on-the-fence response to the wholly unacceptable militaristic approach of the Spanish Government when faced with a simple democratic desire to express a view on the part of the Catalan people.’
Mr Alvarez continued: ‘Gibraltar looks on with great trepidation under these circumstances, seeing no steadfast, British bulldog defence of freedom and democracy in the British Government’s official statement on the occasion of the Catalan Referendum.
‘For Messrs. May and Johnson to stand on the sidelines,' continues Alvarez, 'to such fundamental issues of respect for basic rights such as self-determination by effectively wiping its hands ‘clean’ with words stating that this is ‘a matter for the Spanish Government’, coupled with an underscore of Spain’s value to the United Kingdom as ‘a close ally and a good friend’ will do little to reassure Gibraltar and Gibraltarians that the British Government does not, in fact, put its strategic geopolitical interests way above its commitment to self-determination and fundamental political and civil rights, both of which are indubitably and deeply engaged on issues related to Gibraltar and the Spanish State’s weakly-founded ‘claims. It will, inevitably lead to conclusions being drawn on a years-long trail of failure to confront Spanish maritime and other incursions into Gibraltar sovereign waters, as well.
‘Our links with Britain and its Rule of Law Constitutional form of Government are clear and dear. As are Gibraltarians’ insistence and resolve that the scenes played out in Catalunya yesterday shall never be occasioned on our Rock,’ Mr. Alvarez ended.
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