Nov 20 - Chief Minister On Today Programme - Full Transcript
Fabian Picardo spoke to Justin Webb of the BBC during this morning’s Today programme on BBC Radio 4. Here is a transcript of the interview.
Justin Webb: Once again Britain and Spain are at loggerheads over Gibraltar. The Spanish Ambassador once again summoned to the Foreign Office to explain, this time, why a Spanish survey vessel entered the territorial waters of Gibraltar without permission. The Chief Minister of Gibraltar is Fabian Picardo and he is on the line. Good morning to you
CM: Good morning Justin
Justin Webb: What the Spanish say is that this is an over reaction
CM: Well look, they may say that but this has being going on now for some time. The genesis of this is the declaration by Spain in 2007 of a site of community interest under the Habitats Directive which overlaps with British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and, frankly it, is an issue of sovereignty in an area where sovereignty matters. They are fully aware of that and they are needling away at the United Kingdom and Gibraltar by taking such action.
Justin Webb: And there is nothing we can do about it?
CM: Well of course there is something that we can do about it and this is exactly the sort of thing that has to been done about it. By bringing in the Ambassador and making sure that they understand the importance
Justin Webb: Well, we have done that before though
CM: Well in fact it has been done before and the fact that it hasn’t resulted in them realising that this is hugely important doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be done again so that they are further embarrassed as a result. Let’s be very clear about this, the Partido Popular who are in Government in Spain now have form on this issue. When they were last in Government between 1997 & 2003 also upped the ante on this issue and made people’s lives difficult at the frontier, they were responsible for incursions in the waters. They are going to be doing this whilst they are in Government if we do not check them.
Justin Webb: The Conservative MP Bob Stewart has suggested we send soldiers out to Gibraltar to complete their training or take part in training exercises there. There have been suggestions that the Navy should up its presence there. Would you be in favour of that?
CM: Well I would be in favour of anything that has a positive deterrent effect and I have discussed before the possibility of more senior assets from the Royal Navy being put at the disposal of the Commander of the British Forces in Gibraltar but working very closely with David Lidington and William Hague, the diplomatic aspects must also be equally important, and calling in an ambassador, especially one that is an ambassador for an EU partner and a NATO ally is quite a dramatic step and Spain need to realise that under full glare of publicity this is not where they want to be.
Justin Webb: How close are we, do you think, to shots being fired?
CM: Well I certainly hope that we are not close to that, at all, and never will be. I think the point you are alluding to is a point made by Jim Dobbin, MP, who is the chairman of the All Party British Gibraltar Group, who made that reference as a result of Spanish Guardia Civil vessels coming into BGTW, without warning, coming in from the sun so to speak, where they are not visible to those who are carrying out refuelling or replenishment operations to British or American vessels in BGTW and who might them find themselves shot at because they are not identified as the vessel of a friendly nation even though that vessel may be doing something which is contrary to international law and they may be mistaken for terrorists. That is the issue and it’s a security issue that Spain needs to be aware of also.
Justin Webb: Fabian Picardo thank you very much.
