The Spanish view
In the meantime Spain seized the anxiety over the new Immigration Bill as a new stick to beat Gibraltar. One Madrid newspaper commented that the Bill was a mortal blow to Gibraltarian hopes of gaining a special place within the Commonwealth. The paper said that they were in the same position as Hindus and Negroes. It added that Britain was exploring the idea of the Rock becom- ing a joint Anglo-American base outside NATO and the EEC. This would hit the optim- ists in Gibraltar who see the entry of Spain and themselves into the Market as a way of solving the border dispute: free movement across frontiers under the Treaty of Rome.
Spain argues that the Gibraltarians do not have the right of self-determination because they are not a true 'people' but British puppets. It probably is time for the British to re-examine the nannyish constitution. 'It seems ridiculous', says Major Gache, the trade minister, 'that 1 can't go and discuss food prices with the Moroccans.' Even though most flights out of the airport are civil, the airlines pay their landing fees to the Ministry of Defence. And that hardly undermines Spain's contention that it is essentially a military airport.
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