160513 Sur in English- Hammond- 'Gibraltar is Stronger in'-2
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Philip Hammond visited the Rock on Wednesday, the first time a UK Foreign Secretary has done so since David Miliband was there in 2009 :: DEBBIE BARTLETT GIBRALTAR. UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was in Gibraltar on Wednesday , where he held several meetings and made absolutely clear his belief that a vote to leave the EU would be devastating for Gibraltar. This was the first visit by a Brit- ish Foreign Secretary to the Rock since 2009, when David Miliband held the post, and Mr Hammond managed to pack a great deal in to his short visit. As well as meeting representat ives of the Royal Navy’s Gibraltar Squad- ron, the Gibraltar Defence Police, the Royal Gibraltar Police and HM Cus- toms, Mr Hammond also visited the Gibraltar Stronger In office in Main Street and held a press conference with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo at No. 6 Convent Place, the Gibral- tar equivalent of 10 Downing Street. With regard to the EU referen- dum, in which the people of Gi- braltar have a vote, both men stressed the importance of the EU for the Gibraltarian economy, which they say is inextricably linked to the single market. When it came to other conse- quences of a vote to leave, the For- eign Secretary didn’t mince his words. He said that Britain’s com- mitment to Gibraltar is absolute and unshakeable and will endure whatever the result of the EU ref- erendum but, with the best will in the world, Britain would not be able to solve all the challenges that Gibraltar could face if the UK voted to leave the EU on 23 June. “I genuinely believe that the threat of leaving the European Un- ion is as big a threat to Gibraltar’s fu- ture security and Gibraltar’s future sovereignty as the more traditional threats that we routinely talk about,” he warned. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo agreed with his comments, and pointed out that Spain has already indicated that it would immediately place the sovereignty issue on the table if the UK voted to leave the EU. The UK and Gibraltar governments insist that they would never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass un- der the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democrati- cally expressed wishes, nor would they enter into a process of sover- eignty negotiations with which Gi- braltar is not content. Britain’s Foreign Secretary warns that Brexit poses serious threats to Gibraltar Philip Hammond and Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, in Main Street on Wednesday. :: SUR
