The United Nations General Assembly has again welcomed efforts by the UK, Gibraltar and Spain to work “in a spirit of trust and solidarity” to build a relationship “based on dialogue and cooperation”.
The message was contained in the annual resolution on Gibraltar, which was formally adopted this week by the UN.
The resolution, which was drafted by the UN’s Fourth Committee on decolonisation, was adopted without a vote.
It reflects the views set out earlier this year by Gibraltar, the UK and Spain during a session of the Fourth Committee, in which all sides reiterated longstanding positions on sovereignty but also updated the UN on efforts to negotiate a new framework for the Rock’s post-Brexit relations with Spain and the wider EU.
The resolution adopted by the General Assembly made no explicit reference to ongoing UK/EU treaty negotiations, but reflected language used in previous years in support of post-Brexit efforts to bolster cross-border cooperation.
It said the UN “welcomes the efforts made by all to resolve problems and advance in a spirit of trust and solidarity, in order to find common solutions and move forward in areas of mutual interest towards a relationship based on dialogue and cooperation.”
As in other years too, the resolution restated the UN’s longstanding call for Spain and the UK to reach a “definitive solution” to “the question of Gibraltar” in line with the Brussels Declaration of 1984, and “while listening to the interests and aspirations” of Gibraltar.
It notes too the UK’s desire to continue with the trilateral forum for dialogue, and Spain’s view that the forum no longer exists and should be replaced with a new mechanism for local cooperation in which the people of Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar are represented.