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2012 spike in Spain ‘incursions’ in Gibraltar: Britain

Spanish state vessels have made what Britain terms illegal incursions into Gibraltar’s territorial waters 178 times in the past 12 months — a sharp increase from previous years, figures released Sunday showed.

The figures come during a rise in diplomatic tensions between London and Madrid over Gibraltar, with each country summoning the other’s ambassador on Thursday to protest about naval face-offs in disputed waters.

London and Madrid have already been embroiled in testy exchanges this year over fishing rights around the tiny peninsula at the mouth of the Mediterranean, which Spain ceded to Britain in perpetuity under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.

Britain’s Ministry of Defence said its navy had responded to 178 incursions between November 1 last year and October 31 this year — with 40 incidents in July alone.

There were only 23 such incidents in 2011, 67 in 2010 and 26 in 2009.

“So far as marine incursions are concerned we are absolutely confident of the United Kingdom’s sovereignty over British Gibraltar territorial waters,” said Europe Minister David Lidington.

“That is why the Royal Navy challenges… Spanish state vessels whenever they make unlawful maritime incursions into British Gibraltar territorial waters and we back this up through formal diplomatic protests to the Spanish government about all unlawful incursions.”

The ministry said no live ammunition had been discharged by British ships in any of the incidents.

Andrew Rosindell, chairman of parliament’s all-party group on the British overseas territories, said it was time to start detaining Spanish ships.

“These figures show it is a growing problem. The Spanish are getting bolder and bolder in entering British sovereign waters. It’s another way for them to try to assert their sovereignty claim, which obviously we completely oppose,” he said.

“They have now pushed their luck a bit too far. We need to show them we are not prepared to tolerate even the smallest of incursions.”