The Rock of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, historically claimed by Spain, is seen from the Spanish city of La Linea de la Concepcion, southern Spain, November 24, 2018. REUTERS/Jon Nazca

(Reuters) - Britain provided assurances to the European Union on Saturday that it will not insist on interpreting the Brexit withdrawal agreement as binding the EU to apply a future EU-UK trade treaty to Gibraltar, soothing Spanish concerns on the issue.

The British government “will negotiate the future agreements implementing the Joint Political Declaration on behalf of all territories for whose external relations the UK is responsible to ensure an appropriate and beneficial future relationship with the EU, taking into account their existing relationships with the European Union,” according to a letter from British ambassador to the EU council Tim Barrow.

The letter was published online by the British government.