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Guardia Civil Operations Orchestrated
by Madrid!
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By Leo Olivero
Most of us in Gibraltar would by now have little doubt that the incidents with the Guardia Civil were carefully orchestrated by the PP Government in Madrid, although nicely helped along by their local henchman the mayor of Algeciras.
This was more than obvious on Tuesday, the day the Chief Minister had a planned meeting with the La Linea mayor and her fishermen to try and thrash out a compromise that would allow the setting of a working group, which was the case.
Madrid Not Interested in Dialogue
Madrid was not interested, or has been interested at all in any type of dialogue, particularly on Tuesday before this meeting at Convent Place. Spain’s Agriculture Minister Miguel Arias Cañete, knowing full well the meeting in Gibraltar was taking place later in the day, went along to Algeciras (by chance of course) where he spoke to the fishermen there and publicly encouraged them to continue fishing in Gibraltar waters guaranteeing the continued presence of the Guardia Civil (GC).
It was obvious to me at this point; that fishermen over in the bay were not going to be party to any agreement of any kind, and also that there was a division between them and their La Linea counterparts.
Spanish Foreign Minister Margallo has also been hard at it, all week, upping the anti at every opportunity. He has already made his demands and moans public he will take next week to his British counterpart in London. Spanish demands that start off with the visit of Prince Edward to Gibraltar, the fishing dispute and a return to the illegal 1999 fishing agreement. Margallo will most certainly bring up the Brussels process and their two flag only negotiation concept when discussing Gibraltar’s sovereignty and one or two other undemocratic odd ball ideas no doubt.
One even wonders if Mr. Hague will have enough time to get a word in to inform Margallo & Co - Just what kind of an excuse of a modern democratic European nation, the Kingdom of Spain consistently demonstrates itself to be over Gibraltar.
However with the present serious matter affecting Gibraltar and its people gathering the wrong type of momentum, and of course depending on what is discussed in London next Tuesday, because I’ll be honest, I am not holding my breath about it (although do hope I’m wrong).
We’ve all seen it in the past how these meetings in London or Madrid regarding Gibraltar, hardly determine anything. Judging by the present demeanour of the Spanish government regarding Gibraltar, throw in the previous or rather recent statements regarding Gibraltar by Mr. Cameron, Hague and the UK Minister for Europe in support of the Rock, it does not really make for a lot encouraging news in the subsequent press conference next week.
The most serious incident to date was on Wednesday night. The Spanish Government were out to prove a point regarding Gibraltar Waters, basically what they keep on repeating ‘that we don’t have any’ .
Wednesday Night was a Show of Para-Military Muscle!
In a planned Guardia Civil Operation who pulled out all the stops to demonstrate a show of strength, and the fact on just how serious they take this issue, they gathered together a small flotilla of GC vessels and for good measure even ‘eyes in the skies’ by drawing the operational use of one of their helicopters. No expense speared it seems!
Even with the massive problems in the strait of illegal immigration, terrorist and drugs not forgetting Spain’s current financial pain and austerity measures, the Spanish government have thought this issue with Gibraltar to be one of such great national importance that they had to remove all their deployed sea and air-borne assets from the various operations they are involved in.. To accompany on Wednesday night three fishing vessels and three unmanned lucero boats.
There’s the true measure of Spanish minds when it comes to the Gibraltar question!
But is gets better, because I also found it hilarious that the Guardia Civil yesterday in yet another attempt to increase tensions, now want protection themselves because they feel out-muscled by the presence of the lonely Gib squadron and a few launches from the local police, which they I have compared (bless em!) to a David and Goliath situation in the bay (them being David of course).
The GC are asking now for the Spanish Navy to lend a hand and specifically asked for vessels with large caliber weaponry, and probably you never know, sea to air missiles, exocets and a few nuclear warheads thrown in.
It really all is, in its simplest definition ‘Bull....’ Just one of the GC vessels they brought over on Wednesday night to guard over three small fishing boats was the massive GC vessel ‘RIO MIÑO’ a 605 ton Patrol Vessel that is a converted ex- fishing trawler, a real monster.(See picture). If the situation wasn’t so serious is would be a complete joke!
So obviously the Guardia Civil are also playing some political games and further upping the tension for Spanish consumption, or may be, they don’t make those big tough GC officers anymore like they use too.
We Must Get Our Message Across Internationally!
I will like to repeat what I said in a previous article earlier in the week, the fact that Gibraltar needs to get its points across internationally. It is obvious the Spanish Government have got the full propaganda machinery in full swing on this one.
Gibraltar needs to do the same thing and set in motion a properly coordinated programme that includes lobbying UK MP’S and those in Brussels, also all the evidence gathered also needs to be distributed to the media and broadcasters around the world, but particularly in places where it will help Gibraltar case the most.
I personally see little mileage in trying to convince the Spanish media about the Gibraltar perspective, because in my humble view it will just not make any headway, we are seeing this daily.
Gibraltar must expose the Spanish aggression towards us to the outside world, because experience should have taught us by now, that no one will do it for us!
25-05-12
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