Tensions Rise Between Spain and the U.K. Over Gibraltar
Video Transcript:
Bilateral tensions between the United Kingdom and Spain escalated over the weekend after the Spanish government announced some measures over Gibraltar, a disputed British Overseas Territory where some 30,000 people live. Madrid said that it's willing to impose a border tax, limit the use of its airspace to planes using Gibraltar's airport, and investigate potential cases of tax fraud by Gibraltarians who live in Spain. This conflict is a reminder that, despite six decades of European integration, EU members still seek to protect their geopolitical imperatives.
The current tensions began after the government in Gibraltar dumped blocks of concrete into the sea to create an artificial reef for fishing. Madrid said that the reef would block Spanish fishing boats and damage the region's environment. However, the current episode is only the most recent example of a three-century-old competition between Spain and the U.K. to dominate this strategic territory.
The United Kingdom and Spain are maritime nations, who built their strength from powerful navies. Spain, along with Portugal, was a pioneer in ocean navigation, and control of the seas became a central element of its military and economic power. Britain also founded its power on a strong navy, aimed at securing the supply routes between London, its imperial territories and its trade partners. Due to its geographical position connecting the Mediterranean with the Atlantic Ocean, the Strait of Gibraltar had traditionally had a high strategic value for both nations. Since the late 17th century, Spain controls the exclave of Ceuta on the African side of the strait.
British and Dutch forces captured Gibraltar in 1704, and under a 1713 treaty, Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in perpetuity. Since then, Gibraltar became a key base for the British Royal Navy. With the opening of the Suez Canal, Gibraltar became even more important, as it laid on the sea route between the United Kingdom and the British possessions in the Middle East and Asia.
Madrid unsuccessfully tried to regain control of the region in several occasions. In the 1950s, Spanish dictator Francisco Franco restricted movement between the disputed territory and Spain. Gibraltarians voted to remain under British sovereignty in a 1967 referendum, and in 2002 rejected a proposal of shared sovereignty between Britain and Spain. Bilateral relations over Gibraltar improved in the mid-1980s, when Spain joined the European Community and the border was fully reopened.
Current tensions between the United Kingdom and Spain over Gibraltar are a reminder that EU members still have conflicting strategic imperatives. While Britain's navy does not have overwhelming naval superiority in the strait, it can still block access through the strait if need be. In the case of Spain, the claims over Gibraltar combine a traditional demand over what it considers to be a part of its territory, and the short-term political need to take attention away from the current government's corruption scandals.
In the short term, these disputes are unlikely to create a serious break between Madrid and London. In the long run, however, the conflict over Gibraltar will hardly lead to an agreement that's satisfactory to both parties, and more rifts in the bilateral relation are to be expected.
