Tory MPs have demanded a show of force against Spain after yet another Spanish vessel entered Gibraltarian waters.
The RV Ramon Margalef entered the waters on Monday and was met with Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Sabre, which asked the Spanish ship to leave.
However, the Spanish ship refused to do so and stayed put for 20 hours.
Now, Tory MPs are saying that the next time a Spanish vessel sails into Gibraltarean waters, the Royal Navy should fire at them.
Tory MP Colonel Bob Stewart, who was the British United Nations commander during the Bosnian war, said that if the Government is serious about defending Gibraltar’s sovereignty it should send major combat units to deter Spanish grandstanding.
Former Tory MP Louise Mensch added: ‘The next time a Spanish ship enters Gibraltarian waters and refuses to leave after Royal Navy warnings we should fire on them.’
Tories demand extra troops to defend the rock from Spanish after survey vessel encroaches on Gibraltar's waters
Spanish ship RV Ramon Margalef entered British waters yesterday
Refused to leave for 20 hours despite being contacted by HMS Sabre
Foreign Office has asked the Spanish ambassador to explain
By Tim Shipman
19 November 2013
Daily Mailhttp://forums.canadiancontent.net/n...-demands-leave-Gibraltar-waters.html#comments
Daily Mailhttp://forums.canadiancontent.net/n...-demands-leave-Gibraltar-waters.html#comments
Tories demanded a show of force against Spain yesterday after a Spanish vessel made a ‘provocative incursion’ into Gibraltar’s territorial waters.
Britain summoned the Spanish ambassador for a dressing down after the ocean survey vessel spent 20 hours defying the Royal Navy’s demands that it depart, escalating the diplomatic tensions over the Rock.
The incident was denounced in Britain as the ship withdrew last night.
Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Sabre (pictured) intercepted a Spanish survey ship and asked it to leave British Gibraltar waters, but it refused. The Spanish ambassador has now been summoned to explain
But Tory MP Colonel Bob Stewart, who was the British United Nations commander during the Bosnian war, said that if the Government is serious about defending Gibraltar’s sovereignty it should send major combat units to deter Spanish grandstanding.
Former Tory MP Louise Mensch added: ‘The next time a Spanish ship enters Gibraltarian waters and refuses to leave after Royal Navy warnings we should fire on them.’
The long-standing dispute between Britain and Spain has flared up over the past two years. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has blocked the Spanish-Gibraltarian border and staged numerous incursions into Gibraltarian waters.
The latest crisis occurred when a research vessel belonging to the Spanish state, the RV Ramon Margalef, undertook significant surveying activity in Gibraltar’s territorial waters.
A Royal Navy fast patrol boat was dispatched to order it to leave. A video that appeared on Sky News showed the Spanish survey ship being flanked by small inflatable Navy boats.
An audio recording that was also broadcast starts with the captain of the Ramon Margalef saying: ‘We have the permission of the Spanish authorities.’
Tensions have been high in the region since the summer when Spain imposed border checks on every car causing up to six hours of delays
An officer in one of the British boats replies: ‘You are in British Gibraltar territorial waters. I consider you to be violating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, article one nine, governing the rights of passage.
Your activities are being recorded and reported via the national authorities.
‘You are to cease your ongoing activities and to leave British Gibraltar territorial waters immediately. Acknowledge.’
The captain of the Spanish boat then responds: ‘Good afternoon, sir. We are carrying out our survey work. We will continue with our work. We have got the necessary permits from Spain to perform such work. Thank you.’
The boat withdrew only after Spanish ambassador Federico Trillo was summoned by Matthew Rycroft, Acting Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign Office – the third time he has been summoned over Gibraltar since the current Spanish government took office in December 2011.
Europe Minister 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.’
Mr Lidington said Spain has increased the number of its incursions into British territorial waters from around five per month to around 40 per month.
The event comes two weeks after a Spanish boat made dangerous manoeuvres near Royal Navy vessels in British waters, putting lives at risk and resulting in a minor collision. A Foreign Office source described relations with Spain as ‘well past the asking nicely stage’.
But Conservatives expressed frustration that the Government has not taken a firmer line against Spanish provocation. David Cameron did not protest last week when the European Commission refused to condemn Spain for blocking the Spanish-Gibraltar border over the summer.
Colonel Stewart called for troops to be sent to the Rock: ‘I am afraid the Government has got to be stronger.
‘For goodness sake, can we get a stronger response to what’s happening to our people in Gibraltar? Why doesn’t the British Government make more use of the defence facilities in Gibraltar, by sending down more often an infantry company to be based in Gibraltar for perhaps six weeks at a time to exercise there, rather than sending it to somewhere like Kenya.’
Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds responded: ‘We must strike a balance between being forceful, strong, determined to ensure the Spanish understand the UK Government’s position.
‘But we must also find mechanisms to de-escalate the situation, which is why we must get back to discussing solutions – without negotiating Gibraltarian sovereignty.’
