MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Earl and Countess of Wessex visit Gibraltar to celebrate Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
The Earl and Countess of Wessex – Prince Edward and Sophie - are visiting Gibraltar from Monday to Wednesday of next week as part of Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesThe have every right to visit Gibraltar but it is not a good idea.
Jun 08th, 2012 - 10:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Why?
Jun 08th, 2012 - 11:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Of course Edward and Sophie can visit Gibraltar. Any Spanish royals would also be welcome visitors.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 09:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0The only problem is that Spain regrets signing the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, giving up sovereignty of Gibraltar. Modern Gibraltar is a prosperous self-governing nation, and its about time Spain recognised this reality. Turning the clock back 300 years is no solution to Spain's problems in the 21st century.
This is just one of many visits to commonwealth countries and British Overseas Territories, that the Royal Family will be doing this year.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 10:20 am - Link - Report abuse 0The are attending in the Diamond Jubilee year on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.
Since Gibraltar is a BOT why shouldn't it be visited. The people of Gibraltar have as much right to see the Royal Family as any one else.
The Spanish are doing the usual thing of trying to bully the Gibraltarians (sounds familiar doesn't it?) into submission.
But treaties are legally binding, so whether it was the Treaty of Utrecht from 1713 or the Treaty of the Convention of Settlement from 1850, Spain and Argentina should grow up and stop using these illegal methods to distract their own voting public from the dire financial mess that they are in.
The Gibraltarians want to remain British. The Falkland Islanders want to remain British. End if story.
Like I said they have every right to visit but diplomatically it is not a good idea as it could damage the good relationship between Spain and The UK.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 12:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0or create hostilities between Gibraltar and La linea residents which would be unproductive to either party.
4 Spain is bullying nobody just fighting for what they think is their territory and they have that right.
@5 There is NO good relationship between Spain and the UK. If there were, Spain wouldn't constantly be promoting illicit invasions into British territory.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 02:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0And Spain is whingeing and whining just like argieland does. Or are you claiming that the Spanish are so STUPID that they want to try to reclaim territory that they ceded IN PERPETUITY? (That means FOREVER) And are equally STUPID for trying to claim that Gibraltar has no territorial waters. When they know full well that NO-ONE had “territorial” waters when the Treaty of Utrecht was signed and ratified. The Spanish have NO rights in respect of Gibraltar. “Spain is bullying nobody” you say. So Spain, a country of 43 million, isn't bullying Gibraltar (30,000) when it sends its naval vessels into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters? Or when it sends its paramilitaries into BGTW? Or when it tells its fishermen they can fish in BGTW? Or when it tells its citizens Gibraltar has no territorial waters? Or when it attempts to interfere with commercial vessels in BGTW? You have some very strange ideas about “bullying”. When is Spain going to give Ceuta and Melilla back to Morocco?
@6 - Aussie Sunshine.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 03:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0This visit has been arranged for nearly 2 years, so why should it be stopped because the Spanish throw a tantrum? The Spanish are always throwing their teddy out of their pram about something. This is why the rest of Europe just ignore them.
The Spanish need the British far more than we need them. In fact British tourists are the main income in some areas.
Gibraltar isn't Spanish. They gave it to the British nearly 300 years ago. So it has been under British rule for 300 years, and the people who live their want to remain British.
Just because it's physically close to Spain means nothing. In fact Spain has, as Conquerer rightly says, soveignty of islands just off Morocco.
So Spain can't use the proximity argument for fear of getting hoist with their own petard.
Spain was glad to sign sovereignty over to the UK in 1713, instead of having to pay a huge sum of monies in tribute instead. That's what used to happen back then when one side lost a war, it cost you territory or money and sometimes both. In this case, the Spanish were relieved that they got off quite lightly.
The only reason Spain is bringing this up again is to distract the population away from the dire state of their economy. Their economy would be completely fecked indeed if the British decided to stop going there on holiday, wouldn't it?
Utterly furked hispanic economy resorting to nationalistic expansionist fervor rather than address it's endemic problems is utterly furked.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 03:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0... that much is quite apparent.
Spain desperately needs UK financial support and political support.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 10:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0As for royalty visiting any island in the commonwealth or directly connected to the UK, well they can and they should do so.
If this offends someone then tough luck, these are UK territories and ABSOLUTELY nobody can suggest/demand or request they aren't visited by the royal family or anyone else!! It has zero to do with them.
It's about time the UK takes a very strong and robust stance on these jumped up nations trying to interfere with UK/Commonwealth business.
8 “ utterly furked up hispanic economy” LOL
Jun 09th, 2012 - 11:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Spanish companies in the UK.
1) IBERDROLA investing 3 billion euros in Scotland.
2) BANCO SANTANDER has bought out Abbey and Alliance/Leicester.
3) TELEFONICA has bought out O2 Mobile phones.
4) FERROVIAL bought out BBA and runs Heathrow airport.
5) WORLDWIDE RETAIL STORE establishes National Geographic stores
opened by Prince Charles in Regent Street.
6) Spanish paper industry ARAGONES SAICA opens reclycle paper mill
in Manchester.
7) AGUAS DE BARCELONA administers The Water Works for the
city of Bristal (Bristal Works).
8) ZARA has over 65 outlets in The UK. employing thousands of staff
9) Mano has over 45 outlets and again
employing thousands.
10) GAMERA WINDPOWER established its headquarters in London
investing over 150 million euros.
and there are more than 300 Spanish companies in the UK
not bad for a “ Utterly furked hispanic economy”.
#10 aussie sunshine
Jun 10th, 2012 - 02:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0read the current news, Spain is to get up to 100bn euros ($125bn; £80bn) in loans from eurozone funds to try to help shore up its struggling banks.
Typical fake Aussie not reading the non propaganda press in rg land where everything in the economy is Rosen. I can't believe your arguing against the fact Spain economy is furked, read the press it's quite widely reported at the moment. Producing a list of 10 companies with investment in uk hardly proves your point, and the mighty Zara with 65 shops is hardly a major linchpin of the uk retail sector. Now stop pretending you live in australia and check your stash of dollars, your going to need them soon.
Jun 10th, 2012 - 07:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0@4 well said leprecon. While all that is going on in Gibraltar (and Falklands welcomed Earl Wessex to its 25th Anniv of Liberation (2007), we will be welcoming Gibraltar's Minister Joe Bossano in the Falklands. The Falklands and Gibraltar have much in common as OTs and it is important to recognise, not only the HM Queen as our Head of State, but also that it is critically important to promote our Britishness while territorial claims over our respective territories are promoted by our aggresive (Arg in terms of Falklands) or unhelpful (Spain in terms of Gib) neighbours. May Gibraltar have a fantastic week of celebration.
Jun 10th, 2012 - 03:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 012 The one who should read the news is you..silly troll.
Jun 10th, 2012 - 07:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Spain has received financial aid for its banks with NO CONDITIONS.
whereas Greece, Ireland and Portugal received financial aid WITH
WITH CONDITIONS. The conditions being that they had to control
their deficit and therefore cut into the budget.eg. cuts in education
or health etc..
Spain on the the other side is not under this obligation it is credit
money to be spend on loans for business or mortages,
This is a good sign that the Euro will be around for many years to
come....read the news CORRECTLY.
We are living in the 21 Century. There is a European court of human rights in existence. Never mind the Spaniards calling and demanding Gibraltar belongs to them. The people have the human right to live in Gibraltar and chosing to stay British as they have proved in the referendums about the subject.
Jun 15th, 2012 - 10:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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