Spanish State research vessel Francisco de Paula Navarro’s most recent unlawful incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters during its attempt to conduct a survey inside British waters has this afternoon been condemned by the Government of Gibraltar.

A Government statement on the matter noted that the Spanish Government is intent ‘in undermining British sovereignty by attempting to exercise jurisdiction of its own in waters, which are not Spanish’

No.6 Convent Place added, ‘While this may have no legal effect, because sovereignty flows from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it is obvious that Madrid is trying to slowly build a case. There have been 106 occasions this month so far when Spanish state vessels have entered BGTW.

‘It is contradictory for the central Government in Spain to claim that they want to improve relations with Gibraltar through ad hoc talks, on the one hand, and then continue with these incursions at the same time, on the other. Indeed, given that Spain is set to join the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member, they should know better than to invade the waters of their small neighbour in this way.’