
Spain's wealthiest autonomous region, Catalonia, needs financing help from the central government because it is running out of options for refinancing debt this year, Catalan President Artur Mas admitted on Friday.

UK reassured support for Gibraltar following Wednesday night’s incident when several Spanish Guardia Civil vessels and a helicopter were involved in a tense standoff with the Royal Gibraltar Police, the Gibraltar Defence Police and the Royal Navy while the Spanish trawlers tried to cast nets in the Rock’s bay.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo adopted on Wednesday a conciliatory tone towards Argentina for the first time after the YPF seizure by saying Argentina and Spain should hold “kindred nation” talks.

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Spanish town La Linea Mayor Gemma Araujo agreed the creation of a cross-border joint working group that will be examining all aspects of the fishing dispute with Spain.

The Spanish government announced this week it was cancelling all development aid to Latin American countries as a direct consequence of the financial strains the EU member is suffering, which is the worst in decades with record unemployment of 24%.

Spain said it would meet its deficit targets this year despite a new slippage in its regions' accounts and a further contraction of the economy in the second quarter.

The seizure of YPF by Argentina can be expected to have a positive repercussion for Uruguay since the country has an enviable legal system and keeps to the rules of the game, said the new Spanish ambassador in Montevideo, Roberto Varela.

The Royal Navy expelled a Guardia Civil vessel from Gibraltar waters following an incursion by Spanish fishermen last week, in a clear sign that Britain will not tolerate any attempt to escalate the fishing row.

Spain’s Foreign Affairs minister Jose Garcia Margallo said that Madrid supports negotiations for a free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union on a “region to region” basis, back stepping from his proposal last April to exclude Argentina following the seizure of YPF from Repsol.

The Argentine government expressed “great concern” on Monday following the decision from the Spanish government to ban bio-diesel “not produced within the European Union” from the country.