“Disturbing” Falklands-style tendencies with Gibraltar claim European MPs
Escalation in the long-running dispute between Britain and Spain over ownership of Gibraltar shows “disturbing” Falklands-style tendencies. The warning comes from one of the Rock's MEPs after a stand-off between Gibraltar and Spanish police patrol boats over fishing rights.
Conservative MEP Julie Girling said: “What we don't want in Gibraltar is a situation like the Falklands: there seem to be disturbing parallels in attempts to damage the livelihoods of Gibraltar's fishermen” and added “the Spanish are not being reasonable in their actions.”
Gibraltar police vessels and supported by the Royal Navy intercepted a Spanish trawler fishing off the Rock on Monday. But the trawler was being shadowed by two Spanish police boats and finally left Gibraltar's fishing grounds without incident.
There were similar stand-offs last week and the issue was raised in London on Tuesday at talks between foreign secretary William Hague and his Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo.
Mr Hague said later in a statement: “We reiterated our joint support for a local solution to the current fishing dispute in Gibraltar.
”Clearly our views on this differ, but we both recognize the importance of establishing a dialogue between all parties. I look forward to working closely with the minister in the future.“
The Foreign secretary said that London and Madrid maintained ”a strong bilateral relationship“, adding: ”We spoke about the challenges faced by the Euro zone and the critical need for the EU to agree measures to deal with the economic crisis and encourage growth.
“We also discussed wider foreign policy issues including co-operation on Syria, Iran and Latin America.”
But all high-level dealings between London and Madrid have been overshadowed by Gibraltar. Repeated challenges to British sovereignty have been rebuffed by Gibraltar's residents, who rejected the idea of Spanish rule in referendums in 1967 and 2002.
The current Spanish government under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy stepped up pressure earlier this year in talks with David Cameron during which he demanded Gibraltar back, an invitation the British prime minister declined.
Queen Sofia of Spain then took Mr Rajoy's advice earlier this month and declined an invitation to Windsor Castle to attend a lunch to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
El Pais newspaper in Spain said the snub was in response to a forthcoming trip to Gibraltar by Prince Edward.
Giles Chichester, another Tory MEP whose South West euro-constituency includes Gibraltar, commented: “Gibraltar is under British rule and that is how it will stay for the foreseeable future. The Spanish are being irrational and need to get a grip. What happens in Gibraltar, frankly, is not the responsibility of the Spanish”.
Fellow Tory MEP for Gibraltar Ashley Fox said he had written to the European Commission to condemn “this latest act of provocation” by Spain.
”This is simply another case of the Spanish government trying to divert public attention away from the problems with their economy. The Spanish need to accept that Gibraltar is allowed to govern its own waters.
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31 comments Feed
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Then we should start to openly support the Morrocans in their claim for the return of Ceuta, Melila and the other ouposts of Spain in North Africa.
Follow that up with getting the british to boycott Spain as a holiday destination (I never go there myself-I won't support people who are not our friends) and then tell them to forget having any bailouts for their imploding economy.
Go away and be poor spain.
The Spanish fishermen seem split largely according to whichever political party runs Algeciras and La Linea. I think Senor Rajoy's
'get tough on Gibraltar' policy is backfiring.
Spain needs all the friends it can find at the moment.
Can you blame the Spaniards for wanting back a small piece of the Iberian Peninsula? On the other hand you can think what might have been had the Fascist Franco government had control of Gibraltar during World War 2?
History is full of ifs and buts.
I await your comments, if any!
The other problem with territotial claims is that claimants tend to only want to go back in history far enough to the point where the territory belongs to them. It could be argued that half of Spain belongs to Morrocco.
Nations need to get over it. France doesn't fret about the Channel Islands and the UK doesn't fret about the Isle of Man. It is what it is.
Also uk renounce to MAlvinas at Utrech....
Seems to be the fad these days. Governments want to turn back the clock to better times. Look at a map of the world in 1713 (or 1833.) It becomes ridiculous at some point. How far should we go back to address political (or vindictive,) grievances?
@5 The “answer” is quite simple. What do the people of Gibraltar want? On more than one occasion, they have indicated their wish to remain British. And, noting Spain's crashing “economy” that is clearly in their interest. Bit of a no-brainer really. And I wonder how many areas of Spain also wish they were British?
@8 Another dozy Melvin comment. Come on, child. Show us the clause where the UK said it renounced its claim to the Falkland Islands. I expect we'll hear from you when you've faked one up!
@9 It's only a fad for some “people”. But, if you check it out, you'll find that when the Spanish ceded Gibraltar, they also ceded Minorca. So how about Spain gives us that back?
You were there taking the minutes of the meeting were you? I reckon it is far more likely that you just made it up.
it seems everybody is trying to take the piss out of the brits, because we are seen as weak, and the british goverment does very little to diswade from this, mostly being quiet,
[you can insult all you want]
just make sure you dont play the victim, when the time comes,
Do they not feel threatened by a tiny island off their cost?
the burmuda triangle, scares them of lolol
Spain has patience......
It took Argentina less that 50 years to kick out aussie sunshine from Argentina The other argie immigrants have been less that 50 in Australia ...there time will come, too.
Australia has patience
.
Dennis the menace .lol.
Franco was pro-nazi and Hitler said that a visit to him was like going to the dentist. King Juan Carlos is a democrat and stopped Spain reverting to a fascist type monarchy in 1981 - remember when the police colonel burst into the Cortes and fired into the ceiling!
What I did not know was that the Basques were also called Picts
Incidentally I am great fan of yours and read all about your adventures in the Chilean Comic strip - gradually I am becoming familiar with Chileanismos. I have close family across the border in Argentina.
You seem to know a lot about Spanish & Argentine affairs but very little about Australia.
Of course, silly me. You're not from Australia, are you?
Have you “remembered” the name of that hot Melbourne wind yet? lol.
Go on! Have a go. You might just guess it.
Where did you go to highschool in Melbourne?
l finished 6 years at Corryong High School in Victoria's north-east.
Can you make just a little guess as to the name of the wind?
Just for me, then l would know that you're genuine. ha!
What footy team did you barrick for?
Mine was Collingwood. the Magpies.
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