The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia is in Washington for a series of meetings and engagements. 

This is part of the ongoing strategy of the Government to broaden and deepen the long and historic relationship between Gibraltar and the United States of America. 

Dr Garcia, together with the UK Deputy Ambassador to the United States James Roscoe participated in a well-attended brief to congressional offices on the subject of “The Strategic Importance of the US Relationship with the UK Overseas Territory of Gibraltar.” The interventions were followed by a lively question and answer session. 

This saw reference to the first action taken from Gibraltar by the US Navy in 1801 against Barbary Pirates, through to World War One, General Eisenhower and Operation Torch during World War Two, and more recently to the enforcement by Gibraltar of sanctions against Syria and Russia through the arrest and detention of the relevant vessels. 

There were questions from the floor about the importance of security and defence issues, self- determination, and about the ongoing treaty negotiations. 

In addition to this, the Deputy Chief Minister met separately with different Members of Congress as well as with Congressional offices and Senate staff in order to put across the Gibraltar point of view. He made the point that the principle of self-determination had been instrumental to the very establishment of the United States itself, and that in this day and age the wishes of the people were paramount.