Royal Navy accused of firing at the Spanish flag off Gibraltar

Royal Navy accused of firing at the Spanish flag off Gibraltar
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By h.b. - Nov 20, 2009 - 7:08 AM
The British Ambassador has been called to give an explanation of the incident

EFE archive

El Mundo reports that tensions between Gibraltar and Spain are rising after the Guardia Civil came across a British Navy patrol which, the paper says, was carrying out firing practice last Tuesday on a buoy on which the Spanish flag was printed.

El Mundo reports that the British cleared away their exercise when they noted the presence of the Guardia Civil, but the paper highlights that they had been firing at the Spanish flag.

The paper says that incidents between the Guardia Civil and the British Navy patrols around The Rock are ever more common.

Spain believes such incidents only benefit the smugglers in the area and the Spanish Government indicated over the summer that they want to reach a new agreement with Britain on the joint control of the waters around Gibraltar.

The new British Ambassador in Madrid, Giles Paxman, has been called in to give an explanation, and is reported by El Mundo to have presented his ‘excuses’ for the ‘error of judgement and lack of sensitivity’ by members of the Royal Navy.

The Partido Popular has asked the Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, to explain the incident to Congress.

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