The row over ownership of Gibraltar ramped up today after Spain called on Britain to hand over “the last colony in Europe.”
Speaking at the UN, Spanish Mariano Rajoy described the territory as a “colonial anachronism” and an irresponsible tax haven.
“Once again, I must place before this Assembly the question of Gibraltar, a British colony, which this Organisation included, in 1963, in the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories awaiting decolonisation,” he told the UN general assembly in New York.
“This is the only such territory in Europe, and one that affects our own territorial integrity.”
Rajoy said Europe could not allow an irresponsible “tax haven” to remain at its heart.
“We can not have a tax haven in the heart of European Union and we have said-a territory that fails, as everyone knows, the most basic environmental standards,” he said.
Rajoy told the UN that Britain must be “direct and honest” on the issue, adding that “we have lost too many years”.
He called for four-way talks between Spain, Britain, Gibraltar and the regional government of Andalucia.
Rajoy’s speech is the latest in an increasingly tense row over Gibraltar’s sovereignty.
Spain imposed strict new border controls into Gibraltar in July after the territory dropped concrete blocks into the waters off the rock.
Gibraltar claimed the blocks were intented to create an artificial reef, but the Spanish claim it was an attempt to limit their fishing rights.
The border checks imposed by Spain led to chaos at the Gibraltar border and caused a major diplomatic row with Britain.
Last month the UK responded by sending a warship to the rock in an attempt to “focus the minds” of the Spanish government.
The Spanish government’s position on Gibraltar remains popular in the country.
Spanish newspaper ABC today carried a front-page photo of Mr Rajoy at the UN, with the headline: “Gibraltar is the last colony in Europe in the 21st century.”
Gibraltar 'the last colony in Europe' claims Spain
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