UK defence secretary Liam Fox has fired a shot across Spain’s bow by warning that incursions into Gib waters are ‘not acceptable’.
Fox made the comments during a visit to the Rock, in which he stated that such distractions were not needed during the ongoing Libya crisis.
It follows Foreign Secretary William Hague’s pledge to appeal against an EU ruling that gives Spain more rights over Gib waters.
The two countries have been in conflict over the area for two years since the European Commission agreed the area could be listed as a Spanish conservation zone (SCI).
The ‘Estrecho Oriental’ area is partly within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and an existing UK SCI, the Southern Waters of Gibraltar.
While the UK’s legal case failed in May, Hague has confirmed he will appeal.
“The government is clear that Spain cannot enforce the management or monitoring of the specific area in question,” he said.
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Let the courts speak. However something tells me that if their resolution is favourable to Spanish interests Caruana and his masters will trample over it. What can we expect from hardlines euroskepctics.
Referring to the headline, I see now that OP is really turning it’s back totally to the fact that it is a Spanish based newspaper. So much for the expat community to give some voice to the Spanish side of the conflict.
I think the majority if Britons want a Europe united at least to the degree that ensures co-operation of all its members, ensuring security and freedom of movement for all. That would include Gibralter, but its population must be confident that greater unity with Spain would not result in the endemic corruption which affects most of the country.
Clean up your act, Spain, and just maybe Gibralter would be back in the fold. Look at the nonsense with the La Linea mayor, next door neighbour to Gib., a source of some amusement for Gibraltarians, but with serious repercussions on the unity front.
why can’t we all just get along!