Gibraltar's flag: A symbol of identity

Rock Pressing for New Status

At a meeting with the Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, Gibraltar's Chief Minister, Francis Caruana has called for the tiny enclave bordering southern Spain to be granted a new relationship with London.

Although the details are not known, Mr Caruana has spoken of the colony's aim to became a Crown Dependency. This would signal the end of the Rock's 284-year-old legal status as a British Crown Colony, with the abolition of the Governor's post. Responsibility for Gibraltar's affairs would move from the Foreign Office to the Home Office.

It would put the Rock on the same footing as the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. They are internally self-governing territories for whose foreign relations Britain takes responsibility.

"The Channel Islands and Isle of Man are simply examples of how it is possible to have a close political constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom without being part of the UK and without it being a colonial relationship," he said before the meeting with Mr Cook.

Gibraltarians see the move as a chance to have the right of self-determination.

But Mr Cook warned Mr Caruana that any changes to the constitution must be compatible with Britain's responsibilities as well as the Treaty of Utrecht, under which Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713.

The treaty clearly states that if Britain ever wishes to relinquish sovereignty of Gibraltar, Spain must have the right of first refusal.

However, Mr Cook made clear to Mr Caruana the Government's "firm support" for the people of Gibraltar.

"The Foreign Secretary reaffirmed the Government's steadfast commitment to the undertaking in the 1969 Constitution that there could be no change in Gibraltar's status against the democratically and freely-expressed wishes of the people," said the Foreign Office.