MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
London concerned Spanish actions against Gibraltar are damaging bilateral relations
”It is important that we act in ways that do not make life still more difficult for businesses and ordinary citizens in Gibraltar” said Europe minister Lidington The British Government has again voiced public concern that Spanish actions against Gibraltar are damaging its bilateral relationship with Spain. In a response to a parliamentary question in the House of Commons, Europe Minister David Lidington said Britain was keeping its options open on how to respond to Spain.
But he also insisted on the need to for caution and reiterated the UK and Gibraltar’s commitment to ad hoc dialogue. “We do not rule out further measures,” Mr Lidington said.
“However, it is important that we act in ways that do not make life still more difficult for businesses and ordinary citizens in Gibraltar.”
The Europe Minister said the UK would continue to uphold British sovereignty by challenging and protesting “each and every unlawful incursion” into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters,” he said.
He said Britain would also continue to lodge formal diplomatic protests about delays at the border.
“In addition to these formal measures, we will continue to make representations to the Spanish Government at the highest level, making clear the damage that unlawful incursions and disproportionate measures at the border cause to our bilateral relationship,” he added.
In the response to Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, Mr Lidington noted that Prime Minister David Cameron had spoken twice to the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, about delays at the border.
He said that “as a result of those conversations” the Commission had sent a monitoring mission to the border and that the UK expected the Commission to insist that Spain implements the recommendations it received on improving the flow of people and traffic.
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Read all commentsSo weak...I sometimes wonder whose side the FCO are on. We dont always have to be nice and try not to offend. The Spanish actions are being offensive so lets meet them with equally offensive actions. For every border incursion by a Spanish boat throw out a Spanish diplomat. We need to impose a cost on the Spanish fo each provocation. We could start excluding Spanish officials from any UK based international conferences or advise UK businesses that the political situation in Spain is hostile and that any investments there are risky. Or if you really wanted to go for the nuclear option start making plans to incorporate Gibratar into the mainland UK. The Spanish govt are bullies and cowards and keeping slapping the UK in the face. I suggest an appropriate diplomatic response is not to keep complaining about it but instead it should be a well timed “knee in the groin” to the Spanish govt.
May 05th, 2014 - 09:20 am 0l agree & l've said harder words than that before.
May 05th, 2014 - 10:20 am 0Wasn't Thatcher's quote along the lines of, “the Dept of Health is for Health, Education is for Education and the Foreign Office is for foreigners”? The problem with not responding to repeated provocation is that that itself sends out a message of weakness. Diplomacy hasn't worked, the EU legal route was as futile as expected and thus leaves only tit-for-tat belligerence. To do less encourages, indeed deserves, further hostility. How many times do we have to learn that lesson before it finally sinks in?
May 05th, 2014 - 11:48 am 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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