Britain promises to investigate the target practice incident off Gibraltar

Britain promises to investigate the target practice incident off Gibraltar
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By h.b. - Nov 20, 2009 - 7:45 PM
The Spanish Guardia Civil claims it interrupted the Royal Navy firing on a buoy in the colours of the Spanish flag

Photo - Royal Navy 2006

The British Government has given Spain the promise that a full investigation will be carried out into the incident in the Stait off Gibraltar on Tuesday which allegedly saw the Royal Navy using a buoy in the colours of the Spanish flag being used for target practice.

A Guardia Civil patrol allegedly interrupted the firing, more than five miles off the coast of Gibraltar, in international waters.

Following Friday’s regular Spanish cabinet meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, explained that the British Ambassador, Giles Paxman, had been called to hear a formal protest from Spain and to be asked for explanations, and had given the undertaking that a full investigation will be carried out. He also said that a buoy with the colours of red and yellow was used because it was distinctive, and evidently not because it represented the Spanish flag. However he apologised ‘for the error of judgement and lack of sensitivity’.

Incidents between the Royal Navy and the Guardia Civil have become ever more frequent according to data presented by the Spanish. Despite both sides taking part with the U.K. in the three-way forum to build cooperation, the question of the sovereignty of the waters around the rock and of Gibraltar itself remains a bone of contention.

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