David Cameron close to post-Brexit Gibraltar deal with Spain, says Spanish foreign minister

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The UK and Spain are finally ready to reach an agreement on the status of Gibraltar after Brexit, the Spanish foreign minister has said.

Jose Manuel Albares revealed he held crucial discussions with Rishi Sunak's new foreign minister David Cameron to resolve the long-running dispute over trade and immigration deals.

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Mr. Albares told Spanish media on Tuesday that he had spoken with Lord Cameron about on the phone on Monday, and they had also agreed to meet in person at a summit in Brussels on Tuesday.

The minister suggested that the outlines of a deal were now in place for a “zone of shared prosperity” in the country. Spanish zone next to British territory to avoid a hard border on the movement of people and goods.

"I would sign an agreement tomorrow with Great Britain on Gibraltar," Mr. Albares told the television channel Telecinco– saying both sides “agree that we need to move forward as soon as possible.”

A deal between the UK and EU on arrangements regarding the Gibraltar border – mainly on trade and free movement – ​​has not been concluded. in time for the Brexit deal hammered out by Boris Johnson's government.

Tory ministers have been nervous about signing a bilateral deal that could be seen as reducing British influence over the territory.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry said the agreement would allow Spain to use the Schengen agreement – ​​which allows free movement of EU citizens within the bloc – to ease controls on the movement of people.

Spain, the UK and the EU previously agreed in principle that Gibraltar should remain part of EU agreements on free movement.

Spanish officials patrol the border between Gibraltar and Spain

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