A Tangled Web

Iberian Perfidy



Jose Louis Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister elected by voters who did not have the balls to stand up to international terror, is set to 'challenge Tony Blair' over the question of Gibraltar. According to the London Evening Standard, Zapatero hopes to ambush Blair at a forthcoming summit of world leaders.



Gibraltar is recognised as UK sovereign territory under international law. The Spanish claim is only prevented from being declared illegal because (unlike the former Irish claim to Ulster) it is not included textually in the country's Constitution. The claim is purely verbal, and based on nothing more than geographical convenience and pig-headed pride. Three years ago when the UK Government was crazy enough to offer joint sovereignty to Madrid, Gibraltarians voted almost to a man to reject the proposals.



I suspect the reason the offer was pulled from the table was to do with a likely transgression of international law. At first, Jack Straw said any plebiscite held without Britain's approval would not be afforded due recognition. In reality, when the referendum gave such an overwhelming result, the joint sovereignty proposals were quietly shelved. Under international law, states cannot simply expel or share territory with other governments just because of the prevailing ideology of the ruling party. This explains why Northern Ireland has never been expelled from the Union contrary to declarations of intent given by some Prime Ministers - not least Harold Wilson. I am well aware of the guff contained in the Belfast Agreement about 'Irish self-determination'. Nonetheless, under international law the two jurisdictions on the island have separate claims to self-determination.



Gibraltar is in a similar situation. No disgraceful act of provocation from paella-eating surrender monkeys can change the reality that Gibraltar is British, wishes to remain so, and is offered due legal protection to validate that wish. I don't know what diplomatic niceties Tony Blair has in mind as a response, but it should be along the lines of 'go forth and pass water you Dago cretin!!'