For the first time in 300 years, a Spanish minister has set foot on the British territory of Gibraltar.

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos visited Gibraltar for talks with his British counterpart David Milliband and Gibraltar's first minister Peter Caruana.

After his visit, Mr Moratinos declared that Spain’s attitude to Gibraltar has not changed. He said that Madrid refuses to set aside its claims to the territory but added that “we didn’t come to argue”.

Gibraltar, which is situated at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and overlooks the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, has been a British territory since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Before that time, it belonged to Spain. Although its approximately 30,000 inhabitants wish to remain British, they also want to be granted more autonomy.

Photo of the Rock of Gibraltar by nickherber (flickr)