Gunboat
 

Is it time to send a gunboat ? Has war been declared with those dreadful Hispanioles ? It could be quite a boost to the economy and to morale at a time when those damn bolshies are being troublesome !

Re: Gunboat
 

Maybe time to put your whisky bottle away and then have a look at P de T when you feel up to it. ;)

Re: Gunboat
 

the OH ended up in a discussion at work, where a couple of Spanish lads said that Gibraltar should be given back to Spain.
An English colleague replied, smartish like, What about Cueta and Mellila ??
The Spanish lads looked quizzical and weren't sure what that had to do with Gibraltar.

perhaps they were dismissed from Spain's Foreign Office for knowing too much
:rofl:

Re: Gunboat
 

Dom I've had that discussion countless times and the reply is usually " but that is different "

Re: Gunboat
 

Well it is different for all sorts of technical reasons but the principle is the same. If the people who live there want you to give it back then maybe you should.

We all well know that the citizens of Gibraltar have a pretty consistent response to this based on democratic referenda and have absolutely no desire to be Spanish but has anyone asked the same question of the people in Ceuta and Melilla?

Since most of the population are ethnically Spanish I would guess that they would vote to remain Spanish.

Re: Gunboat
 

Fred the Spaniards are always telling me that Gib is their's and the Brits have no right to be here and we should hand it back to Spain without considering the whishes of the people.

Then when you ask them about Ceuta / Melilla the reply is that is different.

Now I do not see it as different if the will of the people is not taken into consideration.

Re: Gunboat
 

Fred, I don't profess to be an expert on this subject but the status of Ceuta and Melilla is different to Gibraltar under International law and in the opinion of the UN and I feel the Spanish are capitalizing on this.

Gibraltar is considered a colony by the UN which means that the UN thinks that all colonies should be granted independence, assuming that is what they want. Clearly Gibraltar do not want this.

Ceuta and Melilla are not on the UN list so they are treated differently. Spain considers then an integral part of Spain, which they currently are, and also that Spain owned them long before the Kingdom of Morocco came into existence. Also if the inhabitants of Ceuta and Melilla were polled the chances are that they would choose to remain Spanish. Ceuta would certainly vote that way, Melilla might be a closer call as ethnically they are more aligned to the Berbers unlike Ceuta.

On the other hand, Gibraltar was clearly part of Spain until 1713 when they were forced to cede it to Britain.

I am not taking sides on this issue, merely pointing out that the situation is different.

Re: Gunboat
 

No problem Fred

However regardless of any treaty, the will of the people or any similar consideration Spain claims that Gibraltar should be returned to her as part of territorial integrity. Now where does that argument put Ceuta , Melillia and Morocco.

Gibraltar would like independence but is denied it by the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht whilst Spain still desires it.