The Spanish foreign minister Trinidad Jimenez is again calling on Britain to stop the incidents taking place at sea, when in fact it should be the other way about: It is Britain who should be telling Spain to stop incursions and invasions of Gibraltar's waters.
Further, they are trying to play down the latest incident with the Spanish Navy warship, at first even saying that they knew nothing about it, as if Spanish naval ships took the law into their own hands without proper instructions being given.
Certainly, the Spanish Navy warship incident takes matters one step up the ladder because it represents an invasion of other's territory.
That is why the Spanish government delegate in Andalucia, Luis Garrido, has come out saying that there was no invasion of the waters that surround Gibraltar.
How can they make such incredibly absurd statements? Everyone knows that the Spanish warship was asking merchant vessels to lift anchor and leave Spanish waters - and that this prompted a response from the Rock, not just warnings from the MOD but clarification from the Gibraltar port authority to the merchant vessels affected that the waters were British and they could stay there.
On the question of the waters there are two areas of responsibility: The MOD whose role is to defend Gibraltar's territorial waters; and the RGP whose role it is to take policing action.
If neither or both are not properly equipped to discharge their responsibilities, for one reason or another, appropriate action must be taken to ensure that we do not make fools of ourselves.
Not only that, but we expose our law enforcement agencies and also MOD personnel to dangerous situations.
The incidents have now been going on long enough for proper action to have been taken to ensure that those whose role it is to defend Gibraltar's territorial waters have the assets to undertake their duties properly and effectively.
06-05-11
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