Is SPAIN really an ally in NATO? How come they allow Russian ships to refuel?
As each day goes past I am very concerned about our neighbouring country called Spain.This Country (Spain) is much larger than my Country Gibraltar and although we keep having to stand up to the bully that this country Spain is - I have now seen some dangerous behaviour from them!
This Country Spain is supposed to be an ALLY in the great cause of NATO. So then how come they have allowed Russian ships to refuel when we have the crisis in UKRAINE?
Spain has been accused of ‘absurdity and hypocrisy’ after allowing three Russian navy ships to dock in its territories in north Africa.
As if this was not enough how come they are getting away with that and the constant incursions by their Spanish Navy in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters?
So let us look up the true meaning of what ALLY is meant to be:
"a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose: Canada and the United States were allies in World War II."
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or states that
have joined in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some
common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out
between them.
********************************************
What is NATO?
Nato
Nato stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Nato
is an international organisation which brings together the armies of
various countries, including Britain and the United States. It was
formed in 1949, after the end of the Second World War.
NATO’s essential purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.
POLITICAL - NATO promotes democratic values and encourages consultation and cooperation on defence and security issues to build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.
MILITARY - NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military capacity needed to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - NATO’s founding treaty - or under a UN mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organizations.
So based on this Spain should not be allowing Russian Ships to refule and worse still SHOULD NOT be entering British Gibraltar Territorial Waters! End of no excuses and no trying to reason as to why they do it!
So why do they behave this way? Mainly because no one dares stand up to them! Not out of fear from them but rather fear of reprisals - UK because they have over a million ex-pats living there! The US because they have naval base in ROTA!
Indeed there is and the public all over the world need to know as much facts as possible.
Do people know that Spain charges UK for any military flight to Gibraltar?
Revealed - cost of MoD flights to Gibraltar due to Spanish air restrictions
GBC
The Ministry of Defence pays up nine thousand eight hundred pounds every time it flies military aircraft to Gibraltar because of Spanish air restrictions. This has been revealed in the House of Lords in answer to questions by Labour Peer, Lord Hoyle.
Lord Astor of Hever told the House that all requests to the Spanish authorities, by any nation, for a military overflight, that has Gibraltar as a departure or arrival airfield, is routinely denied. He added the British Government makes clear to Spain that this is not the sort of arrangement close allies should have to manage. Answering the question of what extra costs this adds to the flight, he explained there were two military aircraft that routinely fly to Gibraltar, the Hercules C130 and the C17 Globemaster. The difference in cost of a direct flight to Gibraltar and a route not overflying Spain is £2600 pounds each way for the C130 and £4900 each way for the C17. A return cost of £5,200 thousand 200 pounds and £9,800 respectively.
Lord Astor said it should be noted that Spanish Authorities are swift and co-operative in allowing British military aircraft to pass through Spanish airspace to any other destination. But this is nothing new and he added that Spain’s refusal to use their airspace to access Gibraltar is an irritant that Britain has managed since the 1980’s. lord astor made clear however, that this was set against an otherwise productive defence relationship between the two countries.
On the Frontier queues, the British Government again expressed the hope that proposed ad hoc talks to address practical issues,will be held soon. In the meantime, it said, it’s maintaining strong diplomatic pressure on the Spanish Government to end disproportionate and unlawful checks at the border. Baroness Warsi added they’ve asked the European Commission to continue to monitor the situation and urges Spain to return their checks at the border to proportionate.
POLITICAL - NATO promotes democratic values and encourages consultation and cooperation on defence and security issues to build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.
MILITARY - NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military capacity needed to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - NATO’s founding treaty - or under a UN mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organizations.
So based on this Spain should not be allowing Russian Ships to refule and worse still SHOULD NOT be entering British Gibraltar Territorial Waters! End of no excuses and no trying to reason as to why they do it!
So why do they behave this way? Mainly because no one dares stand up to them! Not out of fear from them but rather fear of reprisals - UK because they have over a million ex-pats living there! The US because they have naval base in ROTA!
**************************************************************
Now could there be more about Spain's behaviour that is worrying?Indeed there is and the public all over the world need to know as much facts as possible.
Do people know that Spain charges UK for any military flight to Gibraltar?
Revealed - cost of MoD flights to Gibraltar due to Spanish air restrictions
GBC
The Ministry of Defence pays up nine thousand eight hundred pounds every time it flies military aircraft to Gibraltar because of Spanish air restrictions. This has been revealed in the House of Lords in answer to questions by Labour Peer, Lord Hoyle.
Lord Astor of Hever told the House that all requests to the Spanish authorities, by any nation, for a military overflight, that has Gibraltar as a departure or arrival airfield, is routinely denied. He added the British Government makes clear to Spain that this is not the sort of arrangement close allies should have to manage. Answering the question of what extra costs this adds to the flight, he explained there were two military aircraft that routinely fly to Gibraltar, the Hercules C130 and the C17 Globemaster. The difference in cost of a direct flight to Gibraltar and a route not overflying Spain is £2600 pounds each way for the C130 and £4900 each way for the C17. A return cost of £5,200 thousand 200 pounds and £9,800 respectively.
Lord Astor said it should be noted that Spanish Authorities are swift and co-operative in allowing British military aircraft to pass through Spanish airspace to any other destination. But this is nothing new and he added that Spain’s refusal to use their airspace to access Gibraltar is an irritant that Britain has managed since the 1980’s. lord astor made clear however, that this was set against an otherwise productive defence relationship between the two countries.
On the Frontier queues, the British Government again expressed the hope that proposed ad hoc talks to address practical issues,will be held soon. In the meantime, it said, it’s maintaining strong diplomatic pressure on the Spanish Government to end disproportionate and unlawful checks at the border. Baroness Warsi added they’ve asked the European Commission to continue to monitor the situation and urges Spain to return their checks at the border to proportionate.
******************************************
The latest Spanish Naval Incursion was 15th June 2014 - once again what a disgrace that our Foreign Office and our Governor Sir James Dutton have done NOTHING to protect the security of our waters!
I am sure if this happened in Dover Spain would not get away with it! So I challenge the FCO and our Governor when will you do your job in protecting Gibraltar's Waters?
Courtesy T. Finlayson
Another incursion by SPS Vigia as she leaves Algeciras at 11.15 15 June 2014
Navy Ops to Spanish Vessel "You are in BGTW, Please state your intentions"
Vigia to Navy Ops "I disagree with you we are transiting through Spanish waters".
Navy Ops: I consider you are violating Article 13 of the law of the seas, your actions are being reported to a higher national authority, you are to leave BGTW immediately.
Vigia - No reply
****************************************************************************
All the above puts doubt in our minds in why our UK Government and the FCO and our Governor are doing NOTHING - when it is very clear that it is Our Governor who is responsible for:
Governor’s
special responsibilities –
NO 47.
Page
37 and 38
(1)
The Governor, acting in his discretion, shall be responsible in
Gibraltar for the conduct (subject to this Constitution and any
other law) of the following matters :
(a)
external affairs;
(b)
defence;
(c)
internal security, including (subject to section 48) the police;
(d)
such functions in relation to appointments to public offices and
related matters
as
are conferred on him by this Constitution:
Provided
that the Governor shall in respect of external affairs as far as
practicable
act
in consultation with the Chief Minister.
(2)
For the avoidance of doubt it is declared that any matter which falls
outside the
special
responsibilities of the Governor set out in subsection (1), or which
is not a
function
which this Constitution or any other law requires the Governor to
exercise in
his
discretion, is the responsibility of Ministers.
(3)
Without prejudice to the United Kingdom’s responsibility for
Gibraltar’s
compliance
with European Union law, matters which under this Constitution are
the
responsibility
of Ministers shall not cease to be so even though they arise in the
context
of the European Union.
(4)
The exercise by the Governor of his responsibility for external
affairs and defence
is without prejudice to the overall responsibility of Her Majesty’s Government
in the United Kingdom for these matters.
So to clarify -
“the Governor” means the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar;
So with the title - comes honour but with the title also comes responsibility and accountability!
We are not asking for favours we are asking that our Governor Sir James Dutton does his duty to the people of Gibraltar!
Gibraltar - Our Land and Our Sea and Our People are British and deserve more protection than what is being bestowed on us!
Anne-Marie Struggles!
No comments:
Post a Comment
If you are a member of the Fascist GE (Facebook group) you are just wasting your time thinking you can comment on here and use this blog as a platform - see ya!