MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar Breaking News:

Headlines:
Royal Navy task group call in the Rock;
Zapatero's UN speech criticized; Lord Thomas knocks Gibraltar; Spanish grand master will play in chess festival.

Royal Navy task group call in the Rock.

A task group made up of HMS Invincible and HMS Manchester sailed in to Gibraltar this weekend. HMS Southampton will be joining them as the group heads towards Sardinia or a major NATO exercise.

Commander in Chief Fleet, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band was embarked on HMS Invincible and hosted a lunch on board attended by the Governor Sir Francis Richards, Tourism and Port Minister Joe Holliday, Opposition Leader Joe Bossano, the Bishop Charles Caruana and other local and military representatives.

The NATO exercise will consist of live-fire training and will include forces from Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United States along with Maritime and Amphibious forces affiliated with STRIKFORNATO.

The exercise will also be the first test of the NATO Response Force (NRF) and will involve more than 10,500 personnel, over 50 ships and 50 aircraft from 11 NATO nations.

Zapatero's UN speech criticized.

Gibraltar's opposition criticised remarks about the Rock' future made by Spanish president Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero during his recent visit to the United Nations when he anticipated Spain would persist with its "negotiation willingess" with the purpose of reaching a solution on Gibraltar that "listens to the voice of the non autonomous territory".

"We are sure Mr. Zapatero wasn't consciously trying to be funny when he talked with a straight face about being willing to hear ?the voice' of the Gibraltarians in any bilateral UK/Spanish talks about the Rock. Surely everyone in Spanish governing circles knows the views of the Gibraltarians already," said an opposition spokesman.

"Under no conditions do we want to be part of Spain", added the spokesperson arguing that in the two referendums held in the British Overseas Territory, the population overwhelmingly decided in 1967 to remain British, and in 2002 to reject any sovereignty sharing with Spain.

Further on the spokesperson recalled that last December the Gibraltar government and opposition unanimously approved the draft of a new constitution, currently under consideration by London, which is essentially a de-colonization document, in which "Spain has no participation at all".

Lord Thomas knocks Gibraltar.

Lord Thomas better known as historian and Hispanics Hugh Thomas has once again set the cat amongst the pigeons with remarks that will only be seen as offensive to Gibraltarians.

The author of works including The Spanish Civil War, Cuba or the Pursuit of Freedom, Slave Trade (1997), World History, The Story of Mankind from Prehistory to the Present (1996), Conquest: Montezuma, Cortés and the Fall of Old Mexico (1994) and Armed Truce (1986) spoke at the recent Seville University seminar on Gibraltar and announced on his arrival that he did not know why he had been asked to speak on Gibraltar since he did not like the place and had got into trouble in the Lords the last time he expressed his views.

Lord Thomas argued for joint-sovereignty as the only solution for Gibraltar and declared himself the ideal Gibraltarian because of the high esteem in which he held both Great Britain and Spain.

Spanish grand master will play in chess festival.

One of the world's top chess players, Spanish Grand Master Alexi Shirov, will compete in the Gibraltar Chess Gibtele.com Festival at the beginning of next year.

Mr. Shirov is rated within the world's top 10 and according to the organisers has agreed to participate in the tournament which will be held from January 25 to February 3, 2005.

"It is quite unusual that such a high rated player should agree to play in an open tournament where FIDE international ratings are at risk," said a spokesman for the organisers.

Alex Shirov is considered one of the most innovative and exciting chess players with a large following of dedicated players who study his game on the internet.