Spanningen rondom gibraltar

Gestart door Elzenga, 12/11/2012 | 16:38 uur

jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)

GIBRALTAR: We are just one shot away from military conflict, warns MP amid new standoff

MADRID is in danger of sparking a military conflict with Britain over Gibraltar if it does not tone down its actions, a senior MP warned today as the Royal Navy was involved in a new stand-off with a Spanish ship.

By: Owen Bennett - Political Reporter
Published: Tue, November 19, 2013

Jim Dobbin, chairman of Parliament's All Party Group on Gibraltar, said the heightened tensions in the Mediterranean meant it would only take a trigger-happy "madman" on either side to spark serious retaliation.

He highlighted an "extremely serious" armed standoff earlier this month when a Spanish patrol boat breached a security cordon in Gibraltar's territorial waters then "rammed a Naval Police Vessel escorting a British Navy ship".

As Mr Dobbin was issuing the warning, a Spanish survey ship was defying Royal Navy orders to leave Gibraltar's territorial waters.

Gibraltar's government has asked London to make a protest to Madrid, and the Spanish Ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office.

The Spanish boat has now left the Gibraltar waters.

Over the past two years, the number of Spanish ships illegally in British waters has increased from around five per month to around 40 per month.

The Minister for Europe, David Lidington, said: "I strongly condemn this provocative incursion and urge the Spanish government to ensure that it is not repeated.

"We stand ready to do whatever is required to protect Gibraltar's sovereignty, economy and security.

We believe that it is in the interests of Spain, Gibraltar and Britain to avoid incidents such as this that damage the prospects for establishing dialogue and cooperation."

Just two hours earlier, Mr Dobbin was urging David Cameron, the Gibraltar administration and the Spanish Government to hold trilateral talks to negotiate a "peaceful conclusion" over the tension in Gibraltar before matters spiralled out of control.

He made his comments in a special Commons debate in Westminster Hall today.

Tensions between London and Madrid escalated this summer after Spain imposed strict border checks at its crossing with Gibraltar.

Spain claimed it was merely clamping down on cigarette smuggling but Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, suggested it was a direct response to the construction of an artificial reef off its coast.

Spanish fishermen claimed the reef was affecting their livelihoods.

gibraltar, MODBritish Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Sabre instructed the Spanish ship to leave Gibraltar waters [MOD]


The UK and Spain are chancing each other's luck. It only takes a madman. I don't want to exaggerate the situation but the fact that [standoff] happened is worrying.

Jim Dobbin

A European Commission delegation yesterday ruled the border checks were legal.

However, referring to the armed standoff on November 1, Mr Dobbin told MPs: "Reports state that guns were pointed and thankfully no shots were fired.

"This diary of events highlights the serious nature the British government of Gibraltar is dealing with."

He added: "If Spain continues to flout international relations, what more can the British Government do to reach a peaceful conclusion to the dispute?"

Speaking after the debate, Mr Dobbin told Express Online: "Things are getting dangerous.

"The UK and Spain are chancing each other's luck. It only takes a madman. I don't want to exaggerate the situation but the fact that [standoff] happened is worrying."

Earlier, Tory MP Colonel Bob Stewart called for British Army soldiers to use Gibraltar as a training base to reinforce the UK's sovereignty over the Rock.

"Why doesn't the British Government make more use of the defence facilities in Gibraltar?" he aksed during the debate.

"The British government has got to do more to express the feelings of the people.

"We are fed up with what is happening to the people in Gibraltar.

"Can we get a stronger response to what is happening?"

Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds said in response that Britain had a close relationship with Spain, but there would be no negotiation on the sovereignty of Gibraltar.

He said: "We need to find a mechanism to de-escalate, not escalate, the situation.

"We must strike a balance between being forceful and making sure the Spanish government understand the UK position."

Following the standoff on November 1, Britain made a formal complaint to Spain.

The Ministry of Defence accused a Guardia Civil patrol boat of "manoeuvring in a dangerous and provocative manner" after it sailed too close to a Royal Navy squadron.

The MoD claimed the Spanish vessel breached a security cordon and was then ordered to leave the area by armed sailors on HMS Scimitar.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/443937/GIBRALTAR-We-are-just-one-shot-away-from-military-conflict-warns-MP-amid-new-standoff

Ace1

Gibraltar criticises Spanish police dive


Spanish fishermen have protested over an artificial reef which they say is damaging their interests

Gibraltar has strongly criticised Spanish police for sending divers to inspect an artificial reef in waters claimed by the British territory.

Governor Sir Adrian Johns said the action constituted a serious violation of UK sovereignty over Gibraltar.

He said it was particularly unhelpful in the light of the current row over fishing rights which has led to strict border checks and long car queues.

Spain says the reef is damaging its fishing industry.

Measuring tape
Last month, the government of Gibraltar dropped 74 concrete blocks onto the sea bed to create an artificial reef designed to reinvigorate marine life.

Pictures show Guardia Civil divers examining the blocks with measuring tape.

The divers took Spanish flags with them then posed for underwater photos, which were later shared on Twitter.

The Gibraltar government has defended its right to erect the reef, and accused Spain of "making a serious incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters" and adding to existing tensions.

The government in Madrid disputes Gibraltar's ownership of the waters off its coast, and accuses its neighbour of deliberately damaging the Spanish fishing trade.

An offer from Gibraltar's chief minister to allow 59 local Spanish fishermen to return to the area had been made before the images of the police divers emerged.

'Serious incursion'
The Gibraltar government said in a statement: "Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar notes the incident of executive action taken by the Guardia Civil in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters in the area of the new artificial reef.

"The matter of this serious incursion will not assist in de-escalating the present tensions."

The European Commission is to send a fact-finding mission to Gibraltar to investigate controls at the border.

It follows tensions between Spain and the UK over extra border checks on the Spanish side which have caused lengthy traffic delays.

Britain says the checks break EU free movement rules but Spain says Gibraltar has not controlled smuggling.

Royal Navy warship HMS Westminster docked in Gibraltar last week in what the British government said was a long-planned deployment of a number of vessels to the Mediterranean and the Gulf.

Spain disputes UK sovereignty over Gibraltar, a limestone outcrop near the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23822189

Oorlogsvis

Citaat van: Ace1 op 14/08/2013 | 19:56 uur
Sterker nog er stond gisteren in de telgraaf dat men Argentinië zou steunen met de Falklands en Argentinië steunt Spanje met Gibraltar.
Als  het artikel dan goed interpreteer komt het er op neer dat Argentinië de Falklands aanvalt en de Britse vloot is dan onderweg naar de Falklands dan valt Spanje Gibraltar aan. Maar het zou ook kunnen dat Spanje Gibraltar aanvalt en als de Britse vloot onderweg is naar Gibraltar, dat Argentinië de Falklands aanvalt.
nou...ik begrijp die Spanjaarden niet..eerst laten ze zich vol naaien door die Argentijnen met die YPF zaak (nationalisatie olie-company) en dan zouden ze nu die Argentijnen steunen met een nieuw Falkland conflict ? Spanje is ook nog een Navo lid ook  :devil:....dan meteen Spanje ook uit de Navo vindt ik.

Elzenga



Elzenga

#24
Citaat van: Lex op 19/08/2013 | 11:58 uur
Off-topic, maar voor meer info over "Cougar 2013", zie: http://bfbs.com/news/hms-westminster-sets-sail-cougar-13-64310.html
ik vergat de HMS Bulkwark Bulwark nog.....

Lex


Elzenga

Twee LSD(A)s...plus nog het HMS Illustrious helicarrier.....dat is een flinke amfibische macht...op weg naar Oostelijk deel Middellandse Zee voor een oefening..en ik begreep ook nog doorvaren naar Perzische Golf. En erg handig als je burgers moet evacueren..

Lex

HMS Westminster, RFA Lyme Bay & RFA Mounts Bay arriveren vandaag te Gibraltar.
Zie: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23751175

DvdW

Citaat van: Ace1 op 14/08/2013 | 19:56 uur
Sterker nog er stond gisteren in de telgraaf dat men Argentinië zou steunen met de Falklands en Argentinië steunt Spanje met Gibraltar.
Als  het artikel dan goed interpreteer komt het er op neer dat Argentinië de Falklands aanvalt en de Britse vloot is dan onderweg naar de Falklands dan valt Spanje Gibraltar aan. Maar het zou ook kunnen dat Spanje Gibraltar aanvalt en als de Britse vloot onderweg is naar Gibraltar, dat Argentinië de Falklands aanvalt.
In welk **** blaadje heb je dat nu gelezen....oh wacht... de Telegraaf.....  :cute-smile:
The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair...

ת'תקווה בלב נועל, עם חזק לא נתקפל
כי לא נולד הבן זונה שיעצור את ישראל

Mourning

Citaat van: Kapitein Rob op 14/08/2013 | 22:49 uur
Mag ik dit een belachelijke interpretatie vinden?

Sorry, Ace, maar daarin ben ik het volledig met Rob eens.
"The only thing necessary for Evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"- Edmund Burke
"War is the continuation of politics by all other means", Carl von Clausewitz, Vom Kriege/On War (1830).

KapiteinRob

Citaat van: Ace1 op 14/08/2013 | 19:56 uur
Sterker nog er stond gisteren in de telgraaf dat men Argentinië zou steunen met de Falklands en Argentinië steunt Spanje met Gibraltar.
Als  het artikel dan goed interpreteer komt het er op neer dat Argentinië de Falklands aanvalt en de Britse vloot is dan onderweg naar de Falklands dan valt Spanje Gibraltar aan. Maar het zou ook kunnen dat Spanje Gibraltar aanvalt en als de Britse vloot onderweg is naar Gibraltar, dat Argentinië de Falklands aanvalt.

Mag ik dit een belachelijke interpretatie vinden?

Ace1

Citaat van: Flyguy op 14/08/2013 | 08:07 uur
Spanje doet mij nu denken aan een zeker Zuid-Amerikaans land dat ook diva-achtig gedrag vertoond jegens het verenigd-Koninkrijk en een van haar overzeese gebieden.

We zitten bij hun in de Eurozone, de EU en de NAVO. Kortom, ik denk dat er geen verandering gaat komen in de zaak en dat het bij kinderachtig pesten blijft.

Sterker nog er stond gisteren in de telgraaf dat men Argentinië zou steunen met de Falklands en Argentinië steunt Spanje met Gibraltar.
Als  het artikel dan goed interpreteer komt het er op neer dat Argentinië de Falklands aanvalt en de Britse vloot is dan onderweg naar de Falklands dan valt Spanje Gibraltar aan. Maar het zou ook kunnen dat Spanje Gibraltar aanvalt en als de Britse vloot onderweg is naar Gibraltar, dat Argentinië de Falklands aanvalt.

KapiteinRob

Citaat van: jurrien visser op 14/08/2013 | 11:41 uur
Toen we nog wel een mentaliteit hadden.  :angel:

We hebben vandaag de dag ook nog steeds "een" mentaliteit.......  :'(

En verder vind ik het hele gedoe betreffende de RN-patrol ontzettend opgeklopt. Gaat om een oefening/bezoek dat al langer vast stond, toch?

jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)

Citaat van: DvdW op 14/08/2013 | 11:40 uur
En Hollandse glorie!  :big-smile:

Toen we nog wel een mentaliteit hadden.  :angel: