Spain objects as Rock's footballers join Uefa 06/09/2006 00:00

6 September 2006

MADRID — The Spanish Government objected on Wednesday to Gibraltar´s football team becoming a temporary member of Uefa, European football's governing body.

The move, which is expected to be confirmed next month, would grant symbolic national status to the Rock.

A Spanish Foreign Ministry spokesman said the government would do "whatever necessary" to ensure that Gibraltar is not allowed to join the body.

The foreign ministry source told the Spanish daily El Pais Uefa's statutes did not allow the admission of Gibraltar as it was not a state in its own right.

Britain, Spain and Gibraltar are due to meet for talks later this month about the future of the territory.

But ceding Gibraltar, which has remained a British colony since 1713, to Spanish control is not on the agenda.

Instead, a deal is expected to be reached to open the airport to flights from Spain and the rest of Europe and border controls will be eased.

Deals may also be reached over increasing the number of phone lines into Gibraltar and resolving a long-running row over British pension payments to former Spanish workers on the Rock.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news