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The Lisbon Agreement 10th April
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Joint Anglo Spanish Statement by the Spanish Foreign Minister Sr.
Marcelino Oreja and the British Foreign Secretary Lord
Carrington.
1. The British and Spanish Government, desiring to strengthen
their bilateral relations and thus to contribute to Western
solidarity, intend in accordance with the relevant United Nations
Resolutions, to resolve, in a spirit of friendship, the Gibraltar
problem.
2. Both Governments have therefore agreed to start negotiations
aimed at overcoming all the differences between them on
Gibraltar.
3. Both Governments have reached agreement on the
re-establishment of direct communications in the region. The
Spanish Government has decided to suspend the application of the
measures at present in force. Both Governments have agreed that
future cooperation should be on the basis of reciprocity and full
equality of rights. They look forward to the future steps which
will be taken on both sides which they believe will open the way
to closer understanding between those directly concerned in the
area.
4. To this end, both Governments will be prepared to consider
any proposals which the other may wish to make, recognising the
need to develop practical cooperation on a mutually beneficial
basis.
5. The Spanish Government, in reaffirming its position on the
re-establishment of the territorial integrity of Spain; restated
its intention that in the outcome of the negotiations the
interests of the Gibraltarians should be fully safeguarded. For
its part the British Government will fully maintain its
committment to honour the freely and democratically expressed
wishes of the people of Gibraltar as set out in the Preamble to
the Gibraltar Constitution.
6. Officials on both sides will meet as soon as possible to
prepare the necessary practical steps which will permit the
implementation of the proposals agreed to above. It is envisaged
that these preparations will be completed not later than 1 June.
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