A bold gesture towards Gibraltar

Miguel Ángel Moratinos will become the first Spanish foreign minister to visit Gibraltar - the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, which has belonged to Britain since 1713. This status quo is not recognised by Spain.The daily La Vanguardia sees the visit as a bold gesture: "At a moment when relations between the Spanish and British governments are at one of their highpoints, this exercise in realism that Miguel Ángel Moratino's presence in Gibraltar signifies must be evaluated as a serious effort to improve mutual support and cooperation between Spain and Gibraltar. However, the foreign minister runs the risk that his gesture will be negatively interpreted, as it already has by the [opposition] Partido Popular, which has described the visit as a 'terrible mistake' because this recognises a status for Gibraltar that should not be conceded."

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