Spain will protect fishermen in Gibraltar waters

Spain said on Friday its security forces would protect Spanish fishermen following the latest flare-up in disputed waters around the British territory of Gibraltar.

Britain on Thursday accused Spanish navy and customs ships of making what it called “provocative incursions” into waters around Gibraltar, a peninsula in southern Spain ceded to the British in 1713 and long claimed by Spain.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo told Cadena Sur radio: “There was an incident. One of our patrols stopped an unidentified boat in disputed waters which we consider Spanish.

“What we said was that our fishermen are going to carry on fishing. They are going to fish, they have fished all their lives, and they are going to be protected by the Civil Guard.”

Both countries summoned the respective ambassadors in Madrid and London on Thursday over the incident.

Garcia-Magallo, who is in the Atlantic port city of Cadiz for the Ibero-American Summit, said Spain wanted good relations with Britain, a fellow European Union member.

“We have economic interests in the United Kingdom, many tourists come here. I believe we have to work with the United Kingdom.

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Article courtesy of Reuters.