MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Spain separates fishing dispute with Gibraltar from any sovereignty discussions
Garcia-Margallo: “it is evident that vessels from both flags must use” the disputed waters Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo said over the weekend that the solution to the fishing dispute was separate to any discussion on the sovereignty of Gibraltar or its waters.
In a statement that echoed the position expressed last week following his meeting with his British counterpart, William Hague, García-Margallo said the dispute was a problem of cooperation “at an inferior level to sovereignty”.
Garcia-Margallo was speaking while Gibraltar officials and Spanish fishermen were holding technical talks working toward a solution to the row.
“The British maintain that the waters are theirs, we maintain that they are our waters, and this discussion is going nowhere,” he said.
“Whoever waters they are and I say they are Spanish, it is evident that vessels from both flags must use them”.
Representatives from Gibraltar Government’s Fishing Commission met last Saturday with La Linea-Algeciras cofradias (fishermen associations), the first of the joint technical working group set up by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo to find a solution to the current fishing conflict.
Ahead of the meeting the Spanish fishermen spokesman Pedro Maza stated that the dispute with the Gibraltar Government is not about fishing but a political one and complained that the majority of members in the Rock’s commission are non-governmental organisations and environmentalists “who defend interests that are very different to those of the fishermen”.
He said his position will be one that advocates a sustainable approach to fishing and not detrimental to the environment.
“I am all in favour of dialogue and finding a solution but when the other side defends the rights of the ‘jurel’ and we defend the persons who want to fish that ‘jurel’, reaching an agreement is not easy,” he said.
He said that the fishing methods used by the Campo fishermen are “regulated by the European Union” while declaring that this is the main argument used by the Gibraltar Government to restrict their activities.
The ongoing dispute was sparked off when the new GSLP/Liberal Government abolished the Fishing Agreement of 1999 negotiated by the previous GSD administration, which had granted the RG Police flexibility and discretion in the application and policing of the Gibraltar Nature Protection Act of 1991.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
-
-
Read all commentsSpain is not in a very strong bargaining position at the moment .They are a class act compared to Argentina but for Rajoy to say that the bailout is a triumph for the Euro makes you blink with disbelief.
Jun 11th, 2012 - 09:47 am 0No, we should remember that it is not Spain - or its fishermen - that are going bust, it is just a few Spanish banks needing a spare $100 billion to see them over a little hiatus. Hmm.
Jun 11th, 2012 - 11:15 am 0Once this allows business as usual, the minor problems of
(i) ownership of territory (“ceded to Britain ”in perpetuity” under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713),
(ii) and the associated marine provinces
can be passed to the ICJ (i) and marine rights restated via the L.o.t.S. Conventions and the EEC/CFP (ii).
I'll bet Spain never though it would be so easy!
Let's look at this matter in all its simplicity. Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in perpetuity in 1713. Despite Spain's “argument” that Gibraltar has no territorial waters because they are not mentioned in the Treaty of Utrecht, what they “conveniently” forget to mention is that nowhere had territorial waters in the sense the term is understood today. Spain is, of course, teetering along the brink. And losing credibility all the time. Gibraltar “got” territorial waters when Spain did. And yet Spain sends its “fishermen” (yeah, right) and its armed paramilitary terrorists (Guardia Civil) into sovereign British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, onto the shores of Gibraltar and even through the streets of a British Overseas Territory!
Jun 11th, 2012 - 01:03 pm 0So, no, Spain, and Garcia-Margallo, cannot separate the fishing “dispute” from sovereignty. Spaniards are intruding into British territory. They want to have the “right” to fish in British Gibraltar waters using methods that are illegal in Gibraltar and have destroyed fish stocks in their own waters.
No doubt the Government of Gibraltar has been told that now is not a good time for a war with Spain. Perhaps if we just sank a few “fishing” and Guardia Civil intruding vessels just inside BGTW?
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!