UK says “no options should be ruled out” in defending Gibraltar territorial waters
The British Government said on Thursday that “no options should be ruled out” in defending the British sovereignty of Gibraltar’s territorial waters, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.
The position was outlined in a statement issued by The Convent following a meeting between the Governor, Sir Adrian Johns, and Britain’s Minister for Europe, David Lidington.
In another development, Foreign Secretary William Hague will lay a written statement to the House of Commons on the issue of Gibraltar waters next Monday.
The reactions follow the Spanish Government’s decision last week to upgrade its controversial EU-approved nature site in Gibraltar waters to the status of Special Area of Conservation, SAC.
In doing so, the government in Madrid also approved domestic legislation that seeks to regulate activities in Gibraltar waters.
Britain is adamant that the waters around Gibraltar are British and that Spain has no jurisdiction in them. The issue was at the top of the agenda of current Gibraltar affairs discussed during an in-depth meeting on Tuesday between Sir Adrian and Mr Lidington.
“The Governor said that Gibraltar welcomed Her Majesty’s Government’s robust response to Spain’s declaration of the SAC,” said The Convent in a statement.
“[Sir Adrian and Mr Lidington] agreed the importance of the Royal Navy’s presence and profile in British Gibraltar territorial waters in upholding British sovereignty and in support of the exercise of jurisdiction by the Royal Gibraltar Police and agreed that no options should be ruled out in terms of the UK’s response.”
The statement from The Convent did not expand on what options were under consideration but they will likely focus primarily on political, diplomatic and legal initiatives.
However Britain could also bolster its naval presence in Gibraltar waters, as was hinted at earlier this week in the House of Lords by Lord Astor of Hever, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence.
“We keep the Royal Navy’s posture in Gibraltar under close review,” Lord Astor said in response to a parliamentary question.
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Any 'force' attempted or real by the Spanish Police or Navy should be robustly countered by the Royal Navy, not Gibraltar Police, as it has clearly gone too far for local police actions.
0.50cal BMG fire on the waterline should cool the Spanish blood without actually spilling it.
The action of the Spanish Government clearly parallels that of Argentina over the Falklands and we should not make the mistake of responding to it too lightly.
One short, sharp, action would be all that is needed to see the Spanish off.
Solution = UK holiday makers stop taking holidays in Spain, because of their treatment of one of our overseas territories. If this happened Spain would collapse economically. Attitudes would soon change...
Someone should start a campaign.
That’s great news for Gibraltar, and bad news for Spain, and even worse news for CFK ,
As we have said before,
You keep pushing, and then eventually you will have to back it up,
The very tough Spanish are rigid when dealing with little boats,
Perhaps we will see just how big these bully boys are when facing down a frigate or destroyer, and even a few apache gunships,
The pushing will soon be regretted by the Spanish, fools.
[A ship to far,, we think .lol.]
Ultimately the Spanish are going to have to back down, meanwhile they pay the diplomatic and ultimately economic price. The last thing they need right now is a boycott by British holidaymakers, in some parts of southern Spain it’s the only thing keeping them alive.
Ultimately the EU courts and institutions will back the rights of the people of Gibraltar, no question. This is a no win for Spain, except as a short term distraction from domestic problems at home.
Might be an idea to consider trying to solve some of the domestic issues, instead of just trying to distract Spaniards from them.
Just a thought.
Exactly, now then, who was that short sighted, shandy drinking, girly, lefty, pathetic excuse for a Prime minister who cut the size of the Royal Navy?
Short term distraction from domestic problems.
Seems there's 47 million Spaniards. Is there a difference between spaniards and argies? Do they float or sink? No post-mortems for the sinkers.
Is there any reason to think that latinos aren't scum? Similarities? They lie. Continuously. They refuse to submit to international law. They steal. Or try to.
Who's been to Gibraltar? It's a lovely place, isn't it? Spanish weather but British laws, customs, traditions, character. Wouldn't Spain be better if it was British? Real British. Not EU PC British.
So let's do what we need to do. Protect Gibraltar. Return Spain to its previous attitude of terror-stricken. Remove state instruments used to pressure Gibraltar. No more paramilitary Guardia Civil thugs. No more Spanish armed forces. No more tyrannical border controls.
And then move on to argieland. They have no courage as we understand courage. Break them. Break them to submission. Why are there more than 10 million argies? Let them learn the lessons of their history. Exterminate. Is there any argie (as opposed to sane, intelligent argentine) who deserves more?
If you detect a canker, you cut it out. argieland is a canker. So is spain.
Stick with evolution. Destroy the useless. And who is more useless than argies and spaniards?
The critical issue here, which the article completely fails to mention, is that the British Government recently lost a crucial appeal before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) relating to Britain's claim to Gibraltar’s territorial waters.
Britain was seeking to overturn an earlier judgement dismissing its legal challenge to the European Commission’s approval of a Spanish EU nature site in the disputed waters. The latest court decision follows the Gibraltar Government’s defeat before the ECJ last August in a separate case on the same issue.
By ruling on two separate occasions against the UK and Gibraltar, the ECJ has in effect ensured that Spain continues to have a listed nature site in Gibraltar waters.
Spain has never recognised claims to British sovereignty over the waters of Gibraltar and is unlikely to do so in the face of empty British posturing now. Mr Hague should have another Bex and a good lie down, the so called 'glory days' of the British Empire are long gone I'm afraid.
would spain like to prove that the british are past it,
on YOUR opinion mr betelgeuse,
we dont think so.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xehPvA0SmW8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCopxoPPhKU
that's about as likely as Doveroverdover actually being british... which aint very.
I've never met a Spaniard who gives a toss about Gibraltar other than a politician.... and Spanish businesses are FAR more interested in tourism money than The Rock.
We've already dropped Majorca in favour of Greece this year... others will as well I imagine.... mind you Greece could do with its Marbles back...
As recognised around the world the Spanish are playing the RG card, covering bad news in the economy by ramping up popularise campaigns. Jajajaja
www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2012/12/07/espana/1354909472.html?cid=GNEW970103
'Gibraltar entering UEFA - it's a glorious moment but it's not about politics, says Gibraltar fotbollsbas Gareth Latin to AP. country that is the size of Landskrona in the population (nearly 30,000) and size to one-twentieth of Oland belong UK but has some autonomy and UEFA membership is opposed by Spain. Gibraltar celebrates its 300th anniversary next year. A majority of Europe's 53 countries must approve the choice of Gibraltar's participation in the European Championship group stage for the U17 and U19 at the UEFA meeting in May.'
www.svenskamagasinet.nu/shortnews.7418.html
You forgot the cup of tea with the Bex, Mr Beetlegoose.
Didn't Vincent's APC have a better effect than Bex?
Gibraltarians are quite happy living in Gibraltar, enjoying the unique and beautiful Gibraltarian lifestyle.
Tell me why they would want to be part of Spain?
Not on any map I've seen!
You could use the same argument to say Spain is in Gibraltar.
The Spanish WISH they were part of Gibraltar, or Englnd, or Wales, not too sure about Salmond Scotland though. ;o)
@13 Silly little boy. Go read your precious treaty again. Does it mention Spanish “territorial waters”? It doesn't. So Spain doesn't have any territorial waters either? Oh, goody. Watch out for what we can do with that. Since your education is so remiss, you might want to note that “territorial waters” didn't exist in 1713. A state “owned” those waters over which it could fire a cannonball. No international law on “territorial waters” until 1982. When Britain got territorial waters around Gibraltar at the same time as other coastal states. Pity about that, isn't it? You wasted all that time typing out your garbage.
@14 Youtube links are not a comment. And you should note that all comments must be in ENGLISH! Are your little videos in English?
@16 And Britain doesn't like Australian tourism. Aussies should get back to humping their sheep and trying to catch roos.
@21 Spain IS a third world country. I had to drive through it to get to Gibraltar. Can you imagine a hotel in any CIVILISED country refusing to allow someone to use its toilet? There's one in La Linea.
@24 Not for more than 300 years.
@27 No, they are not startling. When you trot off overseas to conquer things, do you not send your best? So let us, instead, think how lucky Spain is to have survived. For now!
Because Gibraltar is in Spain, meybe?
A bit like Melilla being in Morocco?
Conquers experience is different, he referred to a hotel, which undoubtedly has customer toilets!
When Angola-SaxSons try to look tough and goes wrong.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H33nDuC1W5A
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJQL8DH3miE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fn5hzTkyks
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYz3EfFAaH8
Be careful because Butterbean may be looking for you
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjep2b224Go
Ha ha
Idiot you first need to have a proper army to launch threats the Spanish have carries and jets on it to kick your @ss and what are you gonna do?
Back to being a fake military expert I see.
It takes more than equipment to make a fighting force as AG well knows after the 1982 fiasco (when the UK kicked your arses off the Falklands: STILL no Malvinas you prat). Spanish military have no experience of modern conflicts other than internal strife.
Spain will come to its senses soon enough and a little skirmish in Gib waters will see to that.
The bunch running Spain have even less sense than your gangsters in the Casa Rosada and that’s an edifying spectacle to contemplate!
THE MARBLES like so many other things you stole from all over the
world. God knows what you lot must be knocking off in Afghanistan right now??!!
Perhaps the marbles should be returned to Greece.
l have no problem with that.
However they were bought & paid for, not looted.
And if they had not been bought(rescued)then they would have been crushed like many other statues, columns & freizes, then used for roadbase.
Forget those small facts, did we?
*********************************************************************
lf Argentina had troops in Afghanistan, l'm SURE that they would prevent any foreign soldiers from looting anything, wouldn't they?
i NEEDED A LAUGH!!
Whats so funny?
Let’s review the facts. Lord Elgin paid the enormous sum of £39,000 to acquire the marbles, and was careful to obtain documents from the Turkish Government approving their removal from Greece, which had then been part of the Ottoman Empire for 350 years. Since Parliament legally purchased the marbles from Lord Elgin in 1816, the British Museum’s title to them is unassailable. The Greeks know this perfectly well – otherwise, instead of pulling this PR stunt, they would be suing Britain in the European courts.
www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/richard-dorment/5699534/The-Elgin-Marbles-will-never-return-to-Athens-the-British-Museum-is-their-rightful-home.html
@36 The “Marbles” were removed under a permit issued by the government in power. No way you can get round that. It's a matter of record.
@38 Spain is currently ruled by a bunch of no-hopers. Lots of countries have thought “Britain won't do anything.” Argieland comes to mind. So does Libya. Spain is walking on the edge.
Bought Jajajajajajaja what's that they were...????
Send an island class patrol boat to do some ramming
You have had time to check the facts(which you should have done before you mouthed off).
#37 stick up your junta & l are perfectly correct.
They were paid for!, cobber-me-lad(pretend Aussie).
lf the Greeks want them & the museum want to sell, then the Greeks will have to come up with the Drachma, Euroes, Roubles, Shekels or whatever they use now in Hellas.
Awaiting your admission that you were wrong.
Your rambling again...and seem to be repeating things, poor old Fake aussie
your in a big hole, you have been proved wrong again, be a big boy and except defeat, like the RG's in 82
He's quickly proving to be Sussie's 'equal', though LOL
Are you man enough to admit that you are wrong?
(you try to come across as a big bronzed Anzac, by somehow, l doubt that).
Look up the Elgin Marbles on Google, then get back to us all.
We will graciously accept your apology & move on.
Of course, l only speak for myself. l imagine that you'll get some flak from other posters on here. But you can handle it, eh.......................cobber?
If you can get a couple of your ARA frigatas to work, why not try sailing them
into those non existant waters, your lads might want to stop off on the non existant British islands for a run ashore.
Silly me they can't. can they?
Oops silly me, they can't, can they, wonder why?
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