As we have observed, Spain's membership of NATO was seen to be closely linked to the resolution of the Gibraltar question. An article in El País on 23 May 1982 dealing with the defence changes which would follow Spain's entry referred briefly to Gibraltar as the most important issue (but not the only one) requiring clarification before entry could take place.

Alongside it appeared an article specifically about the relationship between Gibraltar and Spain's membership of the Atlantic Alliance. Three possibilites were considered regarding the military control of the Gibraltar base: first, things would stay as they were, which would be intolerable for Spain as well as illogical from an operational point of view; second, the separate command GIBMED would disappear and become part of the Western Mediterranean subcommand under a Spanish admiral based elsewhere (a possibility opposed by Britain); third, there would be joint British- Spanish command of the Gibraltar base, with the command alternating every couple of years. The article further hypothesised that if the bilateral talks over the future of Gibraltar were to fail, there could be considerable difficulties if a Spaniard were in command, especially if there were to be another episode like the Falklands/ Malvinas when the British (or the USA) wanted to use Gibraltar. For this reason, the writer suggested, before Spain becomes part of the military structure of NATO, the position of Gibraltar should be clarified, at least with regard to the role of the Spanish navy on the Rock and responsibility for the costs involved in maintaining or modernising the base.