MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Wednesday, Hammond paid an official visit to Gibraltar, where he stated that London would stick to its pledge to abstain from negotiations on the disputed overseas territory of Gibraltar's sovereignty.
According to Sunday Express, the Spanish side was aware that Hammond on his way to Gibraltar had been aboard the plane but nevertheless issued the ban. The aircraft was forced to change its course and fly over Portugal.
Gibraltar is one of the British overseas territories, located on the Iberian Peninsula and controlled by London since 1713. At the moment, the territory has broad autonomous powers, but London is responsible for the issues of Gibraltar's defense and relations with foreign states.
Gibraltar remains a major point of contention in Britain’s diplomatic relations with Spain. Nearly 30,000 Gibraltar's residents rejected Spanish proposals to join the country in referendums held in both 1967 and 2002.
