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Spain doubles challenge on Gibraltar waters dispute: summons UK ambassador

Tuesday, July 22nd 2014 - 08:51 UTC
Full article 21 comments

Spain accused Britain of “unacceptable interference” for launching a diplomatic protest over the actions of a Spanish navy vessel off Gibraltar. Read full article

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  • The Voice

    Then perhaps Gibraltar should claim the full 12 mile limit...as is their right and ask the Spanish to leave.....and enforce it...
    Check....mate...

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 09:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • brasherboot

    OOh very silly Spain. There's a general election looming in the UK with a population that is increasingly anti-EU and more right wing.

    Spain is asking for a severe kicking. After which we'll see who's the real power.

    Clue: It isnt Spain

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 10:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Britworker

    I'm not sure where Spain are wanting to take this, surely it is only going to result in a militarisation of the area, how can that be in Spain's interest?

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 12:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    The ICJ Gulf of Maine judgment confirmed that territorial waters cannot be delimited unilaterally without consent. The ICJ Black Sea case confirmed that declarations made on signing, ratifying UNCLOS are irrelevant if they are used to delimit another's entitlement to territorial waters. The PCA case between Guyana and Suriname confirmed that the median line between states in any bays comes before any claims of 'historic title'. And in the case between Canada and France, Canada attempted to deny that St Pierre and Miquelon had no entitlement to an Exclusive Economic Zone because of proximity to Canada. The Tribunal held that France was entitled to a limited EEZ in respect of St Pierre and Miquelon. And even Spanish Foreign Minister Margallo admits that, 'Spain might not win a case regarding Gibraltar's waters.' Time for the Spanish to get real and behave appropriately in accordance with international law.

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 12:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • tezza

    The treaty that Spain signed over 300 years ago didn't mention territorial waters, because there was no such concept at the time. Since then things have changed with international agreements, they are happy to sign up for territorial waters, but wish to deny a similar right to others.

    They are far from being a proper democracy, they want it all their own way, their sad little economy is rotten with corruption & failure, and currently funded (via the EU) by German and British billions, don't bite the hand that feeds you!

    All this is rubbish designed to distract their population from the corruption allegations faced by their politicians...sod them!

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 01:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • paulcedron

    “The statement also repeated Spain’s position that under the Treaty of Utrecht Gibraltar has no territorial waters other than those inside the port.”
    that is the only thing that really counts.
    the only thing these squatters have to occupy spanish lands is this joke of treaty, but this joke of treaty does not say a shite about the waters.
    hence the monkeys / llanitos don't even have a square meter of water.

    and then these squatters, british wannabes (kelpers, llanitos, the ones in north ireland, etc) ask why the whole world hates them.
    lol

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 01:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Don Alberto

    Poor mentally limited paulcedron writes:

    “but this joke of treaty does not say a shite about the waters”

    Does the treaty mention air? well, does it?

    Which 18th century treaties mention territorial water?

    Does the “Convención para Restablecer las Perfectas Relaciones de Amistad Entre La Confederación Argentina y Su Majestad Británica” 1849/ratified May 1850 mention territorial water?

    So if Poor mentally limited paulcedron were right, Argentina does not have a territorial water.

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 01:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    @6. Would you like to produce something from the ICJ, PCA that supports your statement regarding Gibraltar not having any territorial waters? If you can't then your comments are w o r t h l e s s.

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 01:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Rufus

    @6 “but this joke of treaty does not say a shite about the waters”

    No, it doesn't. Not Gibraltar's. Not Spain's either.

    There was this funny agreement between - well, pretty much everyone (163 UN member states, plus the EU as a whole, plus the Cook Islands and Niue (both of whom let New Zealand handle most of their dealings with the UN)) that settled how territorial waters were decided.
    Gibraltar doesn't even claim all that it can under this agreement (which Spain signed up to) and still Spain can't seem to cope with it.

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 03:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pugol-H

    Once Clegg is out of government, at the next election, a more robust approach to these clowns can be expected from the next UK Gov.

    Then we shall see, time to walk the walk.

    @6 paulcedron
    Oddly enough the treaty of Utrecht doesn’t mention “territorial waters”, neither does it mention air routes for passenger airliners, or frequencies for CB radios.

    A UN convention defines territorial waters, and that states sovereignty of the sea flows from sovereignty of the land.

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 03:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Conqueror

    @6. Just as a matter of interest, is that what your script tells you to say?

    This has been discussed before. There's even an indication of the real situation in the comment @5.

    Here it is. The Treaty of Utrecht came into force in April 1713. There was no international agreement on territorial waters until 1964. Until that time the only “law” was called the “cannon shot” law. It was based on how far a cannon could shoot. It was three nautical miles. In 1964 ALL coastal territories got territorial waters. Spain tried to insert a clause regarding Gibraltar. It failed. Therefore, by international law, Gibraltar can have territorial waters extending 12 nautical miles from the baseline. This cannot be applied in the Bay of Gibraltar because the Bay isn't that wide. But it can be applied to the east of the Rock. And the Government of Gibraltar is asking the British Government to just that. For the present, Gibraltar territorial waters extend 3 nautical miles from the baseline to the east and south of Gibraltar. And to the median line in the Bay. In accordance with UNCLOS III.

    Now, you know what happens. Britain takes it and takes it and takes it from little flea-bitten countries. Until they step over a line.

    Spain is like argieland was in 1982. It's trying the same sort of brinkmanship. It doesn't realise how close to the line it's getting. The Royal Navy (roughly twice the size of the spanish navy) is making more regular port calls. The UK is starting to block things, internationally, that spain wants. And how long will the UK see spain as an “ally”. It's not really worth having. Especially as, like argieland, it's broke.

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 04:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Porkchop

    Paul @ No:6

    Almost 4.9million overseas visitors descended on London between July and September last year. The official figures, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), showed that for the first nine months of last year, visitor figures rose to 12.8million, an increase of 12 per cent compared to 2012.

    International visitors also spent over £3.37 billion on shopping, hotels, restaurants and visiting attractions during the summer, up five per cent compared to the same time last year.

    I'm also led to believe that England alone, exports 202 billions pounds worth of crap a year.

    Not bad for a people and country hated all over the world wouldn't you say? Oh well, these haters keep the default away I guess.

    Your problem is this, Paul. Just because you're a small, ignorant, little man full of hatred, doesn't mean the rest of the world is. You don't speak for the rest of the world but most importantly, the facts simply don't back up your nonsense.

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 05:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Briton

    Spain can push and push until its blue in the face,
    but as some have stated,
    all this is going to end badly and Spain will carry the can, and suffer a humiliating climb down,...

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 07:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Troy Tempest

    06 pablo fruity-pants soft penis

    ”and then these squatters, british wannabes (kelpers, llanitos, the ones in north ireland, etc) ask why the whole world hates them.“

    ”Hates” them???
    Are you on Crack??

    I'm sure that outside of La Campora Juvenil, the emotions don't run that high.
    A benign peaceful people, most of the world doesn't know about them or where they are.

    Your world view is severely distorted, by your media, your government, and your own spiteful wishful thinking.

    BTW,
    still laughing at you, niño

    Jul 22nd, 2014 - 08:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ilsen

    is laughing at Paulie McSquealer and his silly claims.

    He seems all upset again, bless!
    What has Spanish nonsense got to do with him?
    Didn't get an invite to the Commonwealth Games?
    Worried that UK and EU will stop the £millions in Aid beings sent to Argentina EVERY year?

    Learn some manners boy!

    Jul 23rd, 2014 - 12:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    @6. If you want to use old treaties, the Cartagena Agreement of 1907 , which Spain, France and Britain signed, recognised British land and sea possession in the Mediterranean. Ships in the harbour, ships anchored in the Bay. Everything was alright in 1907 when Spain wanted the French and British to protect its colonies from the a threat posed by the Germans. One old treaty against another. The reality is that UNCLOS prevails and, as per the ICJ Gulf of Maine judgment states, 'territorial waters cannot be delimited unilaterally by one State,' (without agreement). So IF S pain feels lucky and wants to delimit Gibraltar's territorial waters they can only do this via arbitration. The fact that Spanish Foreign Minister Margallo 'doubts that Spain can win a case concerning Gibraltar's waters' says a lot about S pain's case....

    Jul 23rd, 2014 - 01:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • SebaSvtz

    I´ve said it before and I repeat: Spain has nothing to win and everything to lose with this gibraltar nonsense. Put your pride aside and move on, Spain, don´t go back to dark times when you were europe´s sad corner.

    Jul 24th, 2014 - 11:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • AlexRobs

    I gotta say paulcedrom @6 seems totally uninformed of cuenta and melila. So called spanish territories on Morrocan land. Also Tenerife and Canaries close to Africa. The idiot uses silly nonsense. Also bear in mind the UK cost madrid the Olympic games over gibraltar. It also exerts influence over 14 trillion trading block i.e the commonwealth as big as the EU and USA. The UK controls much of the financial markets as admitted by the USA. Frankly Spain is now under attack. Piss of the British and they will get blocked in the eu and also lose investment. As for pauls nonsense. You clearly think you are smarter than the japanese whose rearch shows the uk as the biggest influencer on the planet through innovation. Planes airports to satellites to www to anti biotics to tv. It all came from that silly country paul.

    Madrid played some games amd the Uk Commonwealth of 54 countries turned on Spain. Some of them IOC members dumped Madrid after their Gib behaviour.

    How does it feel that the uk lost you the Olympics Madrid and that Barcelona and Catalans support the British. It must gaul you lol

    Jul 25th, 2014 - 10:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ilsen

    No-one in the UK puts much import in what Spain does or says. In the UK it is considered a very minor player in the grand scheme of things.
    Pretty much an irrelevance.

    Jul 26th, 2014 - 03:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • aussiesunshinee

    *18 Do you always speak through your arse? or is this the first time? cause I can smell it all they to my computer!!

    Jul 26th, 2014 - 04:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pete Bog

    @6
    ”etc) ask why the whole world hates them.”

    I notice that Spain's aid budget to other countries is dwarfed by the UK's.

    If the UK vote to leave the EU-Spain is in the sh1t.

    The UK is one of the 10 net contributors to the EU, and one of it's largest.

    Spain take from the EU.

    Unless the EU get a new member with as much clout as the UK-Spain's pocket money, drops.

    Spain then do not get to fish in British waters.

    Spain are like Argentina-bite the hand that feeds concentrating on a fantasy whilst watching real life (in Spain's case its biggest economic region, Catalonia)disappear.

    Jul 26th, 2014 - 09:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0

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