British, Spanish ships almost come to blows over 'The Rock'
| Madrid
The British Royal Navy and Spain鈥檚 Civil Guard engaged in a testy three hour standoff this morning over the sovereignty of waters off Gibraltar that devolved into bad-mouthing and at least one small collision.聽
Spanish boats were fishing in waters claimed by both Spain and the UK when Gibraltarian police speedboats, backed up by the British Royal Navy, encircled them.聽Spanish Civil Guard armed patrollers and a helicopter came to the fishermen鈥檚 defense, prompting the Royal Navy ship to intervene, setting off a shouting match, and causing at least one minor, and apparently accidental, collision.
It鈥檚 not the first standoff at sea between Spain and Britain, but it is the most serious in decades. The new Gibraltar government said when it came to power in December that a 1999 agreement that gave Spain rights to fish off its coast was unconstitutional and began forcing back Spanish ships. Spain insists on returning to the 1999 agreement, but refuses to negotiate with Gibraltar.
The spat is exacerbating strains that began last week, when Spain鈥檚 monarchy snubbed Queen Elizabeth鈥檚 diamond jubilee in protest of next month鈥檚 planned official visit to Gibraltar of Britain's Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth, and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jos茅 Manuel Garc铆a-Margallo, who will meet his British counterpart William Hague in London next week, said a diplomatic solution to the issue of Gibraltar's sovereignty was necessary, but emphasized that Spain would protect its fishing fleet. Spain鈥檚 Interior Ministry said its ships would not accept 鈥渋ntimidation or humiliations.鈥�
Spain ceded control of Gibraltar to what is now the United Kingdom in 1713 in the Treaty of Utrecht. The minute territory of 2.6 square miles nicknamed the 鈥淩ock鈥� is a peninsula off Spain on the Mediterranean coast just off the entrance to the Atlantic Ocean and it gives Britain access to the Mediterranean. (.)
The UK recognizes it as one of its overseas territories and its 30,000 inhabitants have British citizenship. But Spain has historically rejected British and Gibraltarian claims over the waters beyond Gibraltar's port, arguing that the treaty never included any mention of them.聽
18th century tactics?
Fabian Picardo, the Gibraltar head of government, accused Spain of an 鈥渙bviously carefully premeditated challenge to our indisputable sovereignty, jurisdiction, and control of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and our airspace.鈥�
鈥淭hose who are orchestrating these dangerous confrontations need to come to their senses and accept the challenge, once and for all, to litigate their claims to our territory in the relevant international tribunals established for that purpose in the 21st century and not put people's safety and security at risk trying to advance their position out at sea as if in the 18th century,鈥� Mr. Picardo said.
Gibraltar has been a historically sensitive issue for Spain, which lost the territory in the War of Spanish Succession in 1704. It was a humiliating conquest, but Spain's claim, based on being the original owners of Gibraltar, is also hypocritical 鈥� Spain controls two small enclaves in Morocco. 聽
Britain's claim is more of an anachronism. Gibraltar is of little strategic importance now, but聽Britain聽can鈥檛 retreat from its legal commitments either, even if the sovereignty issue appears irrelevant within the framework of the European Union.
An earlier Spanish-British agreement for shared sovereignty was overwhelmingly rejected by Gibraltarians through a referendum in 2002. A European Court recognized Spain鈥檚 claim over the waters, but the issue has not reached Europe鈥檚 highest court.
