Oct 28 - Government States Its Position On Barbary Partridges
The Government has issued the following statement on the recent GSD press release regarding Barbary Partridges:
In the latest Opposition press release, Jaime Netto has shown a complete lack of understanding and a worrying lack of knowledge of ecology and Gibraltar’s natural history. It is near impossible to comprehend how a Member of Parliament with an environmental portfolio could have got his facts so wrong and interpreted the Minister’s statement so incorrectly.
A Madrid-based British journalist described the Chief Minister and the Spanish Foreign Minister as having been engaged in “megaphone diplomacy” over the summer. William Chislett, who delivered a talk during this weekend’s Literary Festival entitled “Spain: What You Need To Know” was responding to a question from the audience. He also said that, in his opinion, the problem that Gibraltar represented for Spain would “never be resolved.”
Following the unlawful incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters on Friday of last week, by Spanish oceanographic survey vessel Emma Bardan accompanied by three Guardia Civil vessels Rio Tormes, Bernesga and Cedena, a Foreign Office Spokesperson insisted, ‘the survey and GC vessels were monitored throughout during both incidents and warned by Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron’.
The Environmental Safety Group is to meet with Conservative MEP Ashley Fox during his visit to Gibraltar this week. The group’s legal adviser, David Dumas QC from Hassan’s International Law Firm, will also be present at the meeting. They will brief Mr. Fox and bring him up to date on the current environmental situation in the Bay so he can address these important issues more effectively in Brussels on the group’s behalf.
The Government has today insisted that they have taken a very serious view of the ccontinuing incursions by Spanish state vessels into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, this morning.
