UK Ambassador summoned over fishing incident

The Spanish Foreign Office has summoned a representative of the British Embassy in Madrid to answer for what it describes as ‘a serious incident where a Guardia Civil officer was injured by a Gibraltarian patrol boat’.

The incident happened yesterday in Gibraltar waters, where a Guardia Civil vessel detained a fishing boat allegedly involved in smuggling activities. However the Royal Gibraltar Police has denied at all times having ever come into physical contact with the Spanish vessel, and even the Guardia Civil itself appears to acknowledge that the injury was unrelated to the RGP’s actions.

For its part, the Foreign and Commonweatlh Office has filed its own protest to Madrid following the attempt by the Vessel to exercise jurisdiction in British Gibraltar territorial waters.

The Guardia Civil towed a fishing boat, alledgedly carrying tobacco, from British waters into Spain, witnessed by the Royal Gibraltar Police and the Royal Navy Squadron. No permission for entry had been requested by Spain.

Spanish press reports had originally claimed a Guardia Civil officer had been injured following a collision with the RGP launch. These reports were then amended to say the officer was hurt as he jumped aboard the intercepted vessel. But the allegation was repeated by a Guardia Civil Union spokesman, Juan Antonio Delgado, describing it as a criminal act.

In its statement the RGP says it went alongside the Guardia Civil rhib to question their actions but add that at no point did its vessel come into contact with any of the others. It claims there was a verbal exchange, after which the Guardia Civil towed the fishing boat into Spanish waters.

The Foreign Office says attempts by the Guardia Civil to exercise jurisdiction in British Gibraltar Territorial waters are completely unacceptable. It adds it welcomes law enforcement co-operation between resepcted agencies in and around the Strait and Bay but actions must at all times respect jurisdictions. The British Government will be making this clear directly with Spain.

However, the latest information is that Madrid has summoned the UK’s Charge D’affaires – as the Ambassador is currently away – to answer to “an incident of the upmost gravity.”

A statement by the Spanish Foreign Ministry says the incident is serious, not just because an officer has sustained injuries to his neck and back, but because the Gibraltar authorities have interfered with an anti-smuggling operation in Spanish waters. It also insists there was a collision between RGP and Guardia Civil vessels.

http://www.gbc.gi/news/3575/uk-ambas...shing-incident

It seems that Rajoy like Putin has been taking lessons from Geobbels - tell a big enough lie loud enough and often enough and people start to believe it. In this case that Spain has juridiction in Gib waters. It seems to claim legitimacy from some unilateral declaration of an EU Environmental zone?

I think you will find that it dates back to the Treaty of Utrecht 1713 when there is no mention of the waters surrounding Gib being handed to the British

The fact that Spain did not "own" these waters at that time is of little importance to the Spanish.

still think that we need to have a more proactive marine presence.
seeing them set sail over the bay should be enough for a response to go out to meet them - without any confrontation.

`

My solution

Send Spain a letter explaining that over the past X years ( decades ) she has violated our territorial waters and despite many protests she continues to do so.

Therefore as from Midnight tonight ( i.e. no extensive pre warning ) Britain will DEFEND these waters against any illegal incursion which may be met with force with or without warning.

Also send this letter to NATO the EU and all other interested parties.

Also release the letter to the world media.

Then when they make the next incursion fire on them in an attempt to disable and arrest without causing any personal injuries and lets see what the world has to say.

agree.

Couldn't agree more, sometimes a violent solution is the only reasonable solution.

This morning I saw a very fast unecological boat flying a Spanish flag heading Eastside and returning a few minutes ago.

I am fairly sure it belongs to or was in use by Verdemar which in itself is a bit of a contradiction.

I also believe it was being used to observe the following, a report in Spanish

http://noticias.lainformacion.com/ec...VSc1TcyTcsoP1/

Google translated snippet

Recalls that the EU Muñoz said LIC this area due to the presence of the types of natural habitats of Community interest - sandbanks permanently covered by shallow sea water , reefs, underwater structures made ​​by leaking gases and submerged sea caves or partially submerged , as well as by the presence of species of Community interest as bottlenose dolphins , loggerhead turtle or porpoise .

Seagreen - Ecologists in Action announced long ago its intention to extend the said complaint - initially filed by the possible effects of the fillers of aggregates in the East side of the Rock or bunkering - to include sand intended Gibraltar from Morocco to bring regenerate the beach. His intention is to check whether the EU comply with European regulations , noting for example that " if the sand was imported from a protected space that is not allowed and entail sanctions."

I'm sorry to read all of this Fred. I do remember when the border between Gib and Spain was a nightmare decades ago.

You are British and UK. Not Spanish.

Diplomacy needs to get it's act into gear and clamp down , not woosie about.

so when are you implementing this

If it was up to me it would be from midnight tonight

So how would that work then ?

Would their gunners be under the same strict orders ? Would you gamble on their prowess at missing Royal Navy personnel ?

What sort of precautions would you take to prevent hitting the British Prime Minister who might be swimming in Spanish waters - as he did last week ?


The Royal Navy WILL NOT open fire on civilians.

It takes three days to mend a bump in a boat, it takes three hundred years to build a new tradition.

Which begs the question should the GC be regarded as civilians ?

They certainly weren't very civil or behaved as civilians in Francos time and I don't see that the attitude or way of thinking of many of them has changed much since and unlike civilians they are usually armed to the teeth.

The GC who are a paramilitary force open fire on civilians

1) The incident in Ceuta

2) The jet skier in Gibraltar

To name just 2 occasions

Unarmed civilians!