Gibraltar: Guardia Civil to continue protecting Spanish boats

Gibraltar: Troubled waters.

The Guardia Civil have stated that they will continue to protect any Spanish boats that are in the Gibraltar area.

 

According to Spanish newspaper, the ABC, the Maritime Service of the Guardia Civil had to protect an oceanographic exploration ship when it was being harassed by Royal Navy and Royal Police boats in the waters around Gibraltar.

British authorities have called on Federico Trillo, Spanish ambassador to Britain, to explain what happened. In a tit for tat move the Spanish authorities then called on the British ambassador in Spain, Simon Manley, to do the same.

David Cameron made a statement, through his spokesperson, in which he asked Spain to desist in its actions and assured the Spanish government of his “firm stance” on the sovereignty of the rock.

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Comments


    • El Tarik

      05 April 2014 • 09:01

      Lets be clear, the Spanish vessel and the GC were in BRITISH GIBRALTAR TERRITORIAL WATERS – contrary to what many spaniards believe a lot has happened since the King of Spain ceded FOREVER the territory to Britain in 1713, Gibraltar controls 3m of sea around the Rock under UNCLOS (82) which was signed by Spain. Its about time a foreign ship up to no good was arrested and taken to court, and if the GC pirates want to intervene, the Royal Navy have bigger guns and would make short work of them – But we all know its just a diversionary tactic by the PP to draw attention from corruption and the economy.

    • FurtherBeyond

      07 April 2014 • 12:26

      Spain has never recognised UK sovereignty over anything other than the waters of the port of Gibraltar.

      This is the reason why the waters of the port are specifically excluded from the European Commission approved Spanish nature site that covers the entirety of so called British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

      Moreover, Spain made the following reservation on signing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1984:

      UNCLOS only applies to States not to non-self-governing territories undergoing a UN mandated decolonisation process.

    • Expat

      07 April 2014 • 16:01

      You can twist the facts as much as you like but it doesn’t make it true.
      Do you not find it strange that Spain won’t take it’s case to the UNCLOS court on the waters issue or to the ICJ on the sovereignty?? Perhaps they know they would lose?

    • FurtherBeyond

      08 April 2014 • 04:27

      #Expat

      Which facts are you claiming not to be true?

      That Spain doesn’t recognise UK sovereignty over anything other than the waters of the port of Gibraltar?

      That Spain has excluded the waters of the port from the European Commission approved Spanish nature site that covers the entirety of so called British Gibraltar Territorial Waters?

      That Spain made a reservation on signing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1984 on the basis that UNCLOS does not apply to not to non-self-governing territories undergoing a UN mandated decolonisation process?

      By the way, if you think that it’s strange that Spain doesn’t take its case to the ICJ or UNCLOS do you also think that its strange that the UK doesn’t either?

    • Expat

      08 April 2014 • 08:42

      1. Spain’s reservation has no bearing on UNCLOS, it is merely a note that Spain disputes BGTW. UNCLOS applies in full to Gibraltar, but if you can provide a link to an UNCLOS document that states Gibraltar has no rights or waters under UNLOS that would be great,
      2.The European Commission has no bearing on Gibraltar waters. Yes Spain caught the UK sleeping and snuck in the proposals for the Spanish nature site. Ultimately pointless as Spain has no jurisdiction or means to administer the site. It does not change BGTW.
      3. Under the UN decolonisation process there is no outcome where a NSGT can be passed to another country. Gibraltar freely associates with the UK and should not be on the list. (but that is another argument along with Ceuta & Melilla)
      4. The UK has sovereignty (until Gibraltar decides to be independent) so why would the UK go to the ICJ? It is Spain that is making the claim not the UK.

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