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Spanish boats illegally entered Gibraltar's waters after a stand-off with the Royal Navy on Sunday.
In an escalation of the bitter diplomatic dispute over fishing rights, British military and police boats had to push back a flotilla of around 40 Spanish vessels.
The fishermen, some shouting "Gibraltar is Spanish", were protesting against a concrete reef built by the Rock's government to protect its fishing stock.
Kashmir has been part of India for thousands of years.
It has been part of Spain till it was forcefully taken away from them. It is going to be a major bone of contention. I think UK should return Gibraltar to Spain for the sake of peace and harmony in Europe.
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. The team of EU observers is expected to be despatched "as soon as possible" to assess the legality of the checks. A row has erupted between Spain and Britain in recent weeks following the installation of an artificial reef by Gibraltar in the waters off the British territory.
There have been long queues at the Gibraltar border
The Spanish government has accused Gibraltar of creating the reef, which consists of 70 concrete blocks, "without the necessary authorisation" in "waters that are not theirs". But Gibraltar has said it was trying to encourage sea-life to flourish. In response, Spain has imposed tougher checks at the border in recent weeks, which it says are necessary to tackle tobacco smuggling. This has led Britain to accuse Spain of breaking EU free movement rules.
'Politically motivated'
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy agreed to allow an EU fact-finding mission during a phone call with EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. In a statement, the European Commission said: "They agreed that a commission fact-finding mission should as soon as possible examine in loco the border control/movement of people and goods questions. "President Barroso expressed his hope that Spain and the UK will address these matters in a way that is in line with their common membership in the EU." British Prime Minister David Cameron has previously told Mr Barroso he has "serious concerns" that Spain's actions are "politically motivated".
A Gibraltar government spokesman said it welcomed the intervention of the EU. "As far as we are concerned we feel that they (the border checks) are over the top and the British government has said exactly the same," he said. Meanwhile, Royal Navy warship HMS Westminster has docked in Gibraltar in what the British government said was a long-planned deployment of a number of vessels to the Mediterranean and the Gulf. It follows protests a day earlier by Spanish fishermen off the British territory about the artificial reef. 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.
BBC News - EU team to monitor Gibraltar border
The HMS Westminster frigate docked at a British naval base Monday and is in the area to take part in in pre-planned naval exercises in the Mediterranean. Its arrival came a day after fishermen in some 60 fishing boats protested the building of the reef.
With the rock of Gibraltar in the background, Britain's Royal Navy ship HMS Westminster sails along the Gibraltar stretch near to La Linea de la Concepcion, Spain, on Aug. 19, 2013. The British government said it is considering taking Spain to court if it does not ease border checks on traffic entering the disputed enclave of Gibraltar. Spain has long laid claim to Gibraltar, and the tiny territory on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula is the source of occasional diplomatic friction between Madrid and London. The latest spat involved an artificial reef being built in Gibraltar that Spain said is hurting its fishermen. It also floated the idea of charging people entering and leaving Gibraltar 50 euros ($66) to provide compensation for the losses that the fishermen face.
The dispute has led to a spike in tensions, with Spain saying it will take all legal measures to defend its interests. Spain ceded sovereignty of Gibraltar to Britain in 1713, but has persistently sought its return.
British warship arrives in Gibraltar amid tension - Europe - Stripes
Yes, Gibraltar should be Spanish again!It has been part of Spain till it was forcefully taken away from them. It is going to be a major bone of contention. I think UK should return Gibraltar to Spain for the sake of peace and harmony in Europe.
the Castilians just want to shift world attention from Catalonia and Basques ....
Reports in the Spanish media have suggested the row could escalate to the United Nations, with Madrid floating the idea of Spain and Argentina presenting a "united front" over Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.
Argentina is currently a non-permanent member of the UN's Security Council and could use its position to add Gibraltar to its agenda. Its president, Cristina Kirchner, has already renewed demands for talks over the sovereignty of the Falklands.
Meanwhile, thousands of Royal Navy personnel set sail yesterday for a long-scheduled training exercise in the Mediterranean. The Ministry of Defence stressed the timing was coincidental, but Boris Johnson, the London Mayor, said the deployment should send a clear signal to the Spanish.
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Gibraltar tensions soar as UK threatens legal action over border checks and Navy sets sail for Med - UK Politics - UK - The Independent
