Back on the rock for Spanish minister

21/07/09 20:21 CET

world news

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It was some time back in 1704 when a Spanish minister last set foot on Gibraltar after Spain ceded the territory to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht.

After much diplomatic wrangling Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos agreed to hold talks with his British counterpart David Miliband and Gibralter’s Chief Minister Peter Caruana on the rock itself. To ease concerns back home Moratinos said that Spain would never renounce its claim to sovereignty. The historic meeting nearly fell through after Caruana accused Spanish Civil Guard patrols of harassing shipping in the waters around the territory. Spats aside the majority of Gibraltar’s 28,000 population want to remain under British rule but improved relations with Madrid in recent times have proved popular.More about: Gibraltar, Spain, United Kingdom

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Mali: Rebel groups agree to creation of Islamic state

Two Rebel groups have agreed to merge and create an independent Islamic state in Northern Mali. After seizing Azawad – an area larger than France – two months ago, the groups had initially disagreed, with the secular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)…