UK slams Spain over Gibraltar ‘violation’
Britain has criticized Spain over “a clear violation of UK sovereignty” after some Spanish ships reportedly sailed into the territorial waters off the coast of Gibraltar.
The UK claims the Royal Navy escorted the Spanish police’s drugs and money-laundering squad out of what the Foreign Office described as British waters over the weekend.
The row is the latest escalation in the long-running dispute between the two countries over Gibraltar, which Britain added to its territories three centuries ago, but which Spain has had an eye on.
The British Foreign Office minister said Sunday that he understood that the Spanish were pursuing vessels which may have been committing crimes.
“However, it is completely unacceptable and unlawful under the international law of the sea to enter our waters without notifying us,” noted Hugo Swire.
Now Sukant Chandan, a London-based political analyst and filmmaker, says the UK has maintained its ‘northern’ attitude toward Spain regarding the Gibraltar.
“When it comes to Spain, it’s been treated in a secondary or second-class manner within the imperialist club,” Chandan told Press TV.
The comments come as the UK government expressed “grave concern” last October over maneuvers carried out by a Spanish research vessel off Gibraltar, and summoned the Spanish ambassador to discuss the issue.
In the most recent incident, the Spanish police pursued smugglers by boat and are also thought to have flown a helicopter over the Sandy Bay beach area on the east coast of the territory.
Gibraltar occupies seven square kilometers of a peninsula bordered to the north by Spain’s region of Andalusia.
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