MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain intent in limiting the number of flights to Gibraltar, says The Telegraph

The new international airport terminal was inaugurated by the Earl of Wessex last June

Spain is to toughen its stance over Gibraltar in the long-running dispute over sovereignty following a year that has seen an increase in diplomatic tensions, according to reports in the UK daily The Telegraph.

The newspaper said: “The Spanish foreign ministry has signalled that it will veto a key European airspace initiative in a bid to exclude Gibraltar from the Single European Sky plan and limit the number of flights to the disputed territory.

“The move by Spain’s conservative government will effectively reverse the 2006 Cordoba Tripartite Agreement which marked a thawing in relations between Spain and Britain under the Socialist government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

“Under that agreement Gibraltar was given a seat at the negotiating table for the first time and the go ahead given for it to build a new international airport terminal, which was inaugurated by the Earl of Wessex on his controversial visit to the Rock last June.

“However, renewed hostilities could see Spain once again limit Gibraltar’s use of its airspace in the ongoing spat over sovereignty of the narrow peninsula at the South-western tip of Spain as the territory marks 300 years of British rule.

“Gibraltar was ceded by Spain to the British under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, but Spain still claims sovereignty over the territory of 29.000 residents and refuses to recognise its right to territorial waters or its claim over the isthmus, the strip of land between the Rock and Spain where the airport is located.

“Last year was marked by an escalation in the dispute after Gibraltar’s new Chief Minister Fabian Picardo revoked Spanish fishing rights in the waters around the Rock.

“Spain made a formal complaint over an official visit by the Earl and Countess of Wessex to Gibraltar to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and last November the UK made an official complaint over “illegal incursions” by Spanish military vessels into Gibraltar waters.

“British authorities said they would continue to pressure Spain to uphold the previous agreement.

“‘Under the Cordoba Agreement of September 2006 Spain agreed to stop seeking the suspension of Gibraltar Airport from future EU aviation measures,’ a Foreign Office spokesman said. ‘The UK, working closely with HM Government of Gibraltar, will continue to do all it can to hold Spain to its international commitment”.