Spanish government vessels have unlawfully entered British territorial waters around Gibraltar more than 600 times since the start of 2013, according to official figures. There were 496 incursions in 2013 and 112 in the first three months of 2014, the figures disclosed by Foreign Secretary William Hague revealed.
Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo met with top officials from Malta this week during a two day visit focused on building links with the island state. The officials included Foreign affairs minister George Vella, Speaker of the Maltese Parliament Angelu Farrugia and Financial Services and Gaming Minister Albert Isola.
UK Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley has told a Spanish newspaper that British people hold Gibraltar ‘close to their hearts’ and that delays at the border are politically motivated. He underscored Britain and Gibraltar’s desire to engage in “practical” dialogue toward better cross-border relations that would benefit communities on either side of the frontier fence.
The mayor of the Spanish town of Algeciras, Jose Ignacio Landaluce flew back this weekend from Argentina, where he had attended a twinning ceremony with Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego that sought to highlight the ‘English occupation’ of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.
UK Minister for Europe David Lidington, said the British Government would have no objection “in principle” to Gibraltar integrating further into the EU than Britain. He was reacting to recent comments by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, who said Gibraltar may in future want “more Europe, not less Europe, than the United Kingdom.”
Spanish premier Mariano Rajoy has declared that the latest incursion into Gibraltar waters, that saw London call in his Ambassador on Tuesday, “can be clarified”, and highlighted that Britain and Spain continue to enjoy “excellent relations.” He hoped such incidents will not be repeated but admitted that Spain and UK have long held opposing positions on the question of Gibraltar.
Gibraltar top elected officials this week went on a lobbying tour in the United States where they met government officials, visited Capitol Hill, talked trade and strongly defended the British Overseas Territory freedom, self determination and sovereignty.
The Government of Gibraltar and The New Statesman launched a six-month media partnership that will see New Statesman online host a Gibraltar micro-site featuring the latest news, interviews and insight from the Rock. The partnership also includes a monthly print feature published on the last issue of every month until August 2014.
A senior Foreign Office minister summed up Britain’s position on Gibraltar firmly and concisely this week in Parliament. “At the heart of this issue is the right of the people of Gibraltar to determine their own future,” said Baroness Warsi, Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague, personally raised Britain’s concerns about persistent “illegal” Spanish incursions into British Gibraltar territorial waters, it was revealed. Mr. Hague spoke to Gonzalo de Benito, the Secretary of State at the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, on February 20 on the margins of an emergency meeting of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council to discuss the situation in Ukraine.