- Title: GIBRALTAR: ISLAND VOTES ON "BRITAIN OR SPAIN" REFERENDUM.
- Date: 10th September 1967
- Summary: VOTERS AT BALLOT BOX; QUEUES, UNION JACK FLAGS. Initials JBC/VS/AS/BB Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 25th September 1967 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GIBRALTAR
- Country: Gibraltar
- Reuters ID: LVA81A6KQWUSJPY1OLQPVXK2N405
- Story Text: GIBRALTARIANS TURNED OUT IN THEIR THOUSANDS TODAY FOR THE ISLAND'S REFERENDUM ON WHETHER IT SHOULD STAY BRITISH OR PASS UNDER SPANISH SOVEREIGNTY. THE RESULT IS EXPECTED TO BE A MASSIVE VOTE FOR CONTINUED TIES WITH BRITAIN.
WHILE THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS THAT GIBRALTARIANS DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE THE FUTURE OF A TERRITORY THAT IS GEOGRAPHICALLY PART OF SPAIN, THE ISLAND'S 25,000 INHABITANTS INSIST THAT THEY WISH TO STAY UNDER THE BRITISH FLAG.
ABOUT 90 PER CENT OF THE ISLAND'S 12,000 VOTERS ARE EXPECTED TO TURN OUT TODAY. THEY WILL HAVE TWO CHOICES OF VOTE. THEY CAN ELECT:
(1) TO "VOLUNTARILY RETAIN THEIR LINKS WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM, WITH DEMOCRATIC LOCAL INSTITUTIONS AND WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM RETAINING ITS PRESENT RESPONSIBILITIES", OR
(2) TO PASS UNDER SPANISH SOVEREIGNTY AS PROPOSED BY SPAIN WHEN SHE OPENED TALKS WITH BRITAIN IN MAY LAST YEAR.
YESTERDAY, THE ISLAND'S CHIEF MINISTER, SIR JOSHUA HASSAN SAID THE REFERENDUM WAS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY GIBRALTARIANS HAD TO EXPRESS IN A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC WAY WHERE THEIR INTERESTS LIE.
MADRID, MEANWHILE, CONTINUES TO IGNORE THE REFERENDUM AND PLANS TO CONTINUE PRESSING FOR THE RETURN OF THE ROCK, WHICH WAS CEDED TO BRITAIN UNDER THE TREATY OF 1713.
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