Dec 13 - Picardo Praises La Linea Mayor for Successful Meeting with PSOE Federal Executive
The Chief Minister yesterday held a meeting, at the invitation of the La Linea Mayor, with senior members of the PSOE, to discuss concerns from both sides, in respect of the effect that present frontier restrictions are having on both Gibraltar and La Linea.
The delegation was made up of Member of Parliament in Madrid, with responsibility for Municipal Policy Gaspar Zarrias, as well as PSOE spokesman for Foreign Affairs Juan Moscoso, Irene Garcia, Secretary General of the PSOE and Francisco Cornejo who is responsible for Regional Municipal Policy. Gemma Araujo, La Linea Mayoress was also present. Earlier in the day, the committee took part in discussions with the ‘Gibraltar Committee’ on the most recent developments at the Frontier, as well as the implications of the restrictions imposed by the Partido Popular Government, on businesses in La Linea and the Campo area.
A statement released by No.6 today insisted that members present at the meeting confirmed their view of dialogue as the way forward ‘to foster progress in good neighbourly relations and to exploit mutually beneficial economic activity in the future, as well as the methodology for resolving any matters in dispute between Gibraltar and Spain, apart from the issue of sovereignty’.
The Chief Minister put across his Government’s strong commitment to dialogue under both the Tripartite Forum and the Ad Hoc Formula proposed by Foreign Secretary William Hague which Gibraltar has supported from the moment it was proposed. Mr Picardo also expressed his Government’s willingness to find real ways of co-operating with La Linea and the Campo Area not just to resolve disputes but also to create employment and economic activity for the benefit of people in the area. Mr Picardo took the opportunity to outline the reasoning behind the recent Parliamentary amendment to the Nature Protection Act, and how the work behind that had originated in the continued dialogue with Ms Araujo.
Commenting on the meeting, Mr. Picardo expressed how pleased he was to have been able to meet members of the PSOE. He added that has known Sr Moscoso, Sr Zarrias and Sra. Garcia for some time and he is extremely supportive of Ms Araujo’s work to bring the committee to the region to hear the concerns of the people of La Linea directly.
Mr. Picardo added, ‘the attitude of the senior PSOE members I met was to confirm that they felt, as we do in the GSLP/Liberals, that dialogue is the only way forward, to promote good neighbourly relations, mutual understanding and policies designed to deliver mutual economic benefit for people on both sides of the frontier. La Linea and Gibraltar have an almost symbiotic relationship and Gemma Araujo and the PSOE have rightly promoted dialogue as the way forward, an attitude that we have welcomed and echoed’.
