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Opposition Odyssey Statement Untrue |
gibfocus - 10th July 2007
(2007-07-10 17:00:00 )
The Gibraltar Government has today reacted to suggestions by the GSLP/Liberal Alliance that the Odyssey Marine Exploration dispute with Spain is affecting the Tripartite Forum by claiming that the comments made yesterday were ?Untrue.?
Just a week after the Spanish secretary of state for foreign affairs Bernadino Leon told GBC that he did not blame Gibraltar for the controversy over the Odyssey Marine Exploration dispute the Gibraltar Government has come out attacking the Oppositions claims that the issue is being used to stall the Tripartite Forum talks.
With the talks at present at a standstill, as the British Government?s cabinet reshuffle finds its feet, Number Six Convent Place today stated, ?Statements by the Opposition that Spain is trying to use the tripartite forum to obtain leverage over the Odyssey question, and that Spain wants this issue on the agenda but UK and Gibraltar do not, are all wholly untrue.
?Spain has not requested that the Odyssey be put on any agenda. If Spain wanted to place Odyssey on the agenda of a Trilateral meeting, the Gibraltar and UK Government would be very happy to oblige. The trilateral process is open agenda and is intended precisely to deal with issues that arise from time to time.
?Spain has said that the current Odyssey controversy raises no contentious issue as between Spain and Gibraltar. Furthermore, since this controversy relates to a wreck out in the Atlantic Ocean there is no contentious issue for Gibraltar either. The Gibraltar Government is happy to co-operate appropriately with Spain in a normal fashion in this issue, and has already made a public call for more transparency on Odyssey?s part.?
A Government spokesman further said: - ?Mr Bossano?s statement could not be wider of the mark. It is simply untrue that our unwillingness to put Odyssey on the agenda is causing any hold up in a trilateral meeting. We would be delighted for this issue to be discussed in the Trilateral Forum. It is one of the purposes of the Trilateral Forum to discuss issues as and when they arise.?
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