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Gibraltar border delays prompt UK complaint to Spain Gibraltar border delays end amid Spain row
(about 2 hours later)
The UK government has raised "serious concerns" with Spain about delays at the Gibraltar border due to increased vehicle searches over the weekend. Traffic is flowing normally at the Gibraltar-Spain border after three days of delays due to increased vehicle searches by the Spanish authorities.
Gibraltar said Spain had created "deliberate" delays of up to six hours for vehicles travelling to and from the British territory since Friday. The Foreign Office says the delays stopped after Foreign Secretary William Hague called his counterpart in Madrid.
Foreign Secretary William Hague called the Spanish foreign minister on Sunday. Spain has lodged a complaint with the UK over the creation of an artificial reef in the waters off Gibraltar.
Gibraltar said the delays were "linked" to an artificial reef created to block fishing, but Spain has not commented. Gibraltar said the delays were linked to the reef. Spain says it has a duty to prevent smuggling.
The weekend's delays were not repeated on Monday morning. The Royal Gibraltar Police tweeted there were no queues to leave Gibraltar and a "normal queue" to enter. On Monday morning, the Royal Gibraltar Police tweeted there were no queues to leave Gibraltar and a "normal queue" to enter.
A Foreign Office source told the BBC the issue was primarily one for the governments of Gibraltar and Spain, but after long queues built up the foreign secretary called the Spanish foreign minister and the British ambassador in Madrid raised concerns.
A Spanish government statement said: "Spain is fulfilling its duties under European law to monitor its borders and to abide by rules set up to avoid the illegal traffic of illicit goods and prevent smuggling."
Spain disputes UK sovereignty over Gibraltar, a limestone outcrop on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713.Spain disputes UK sovereignty over Gibraltar, a limestone outcrop on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713.
'Freedom of movement' 'Gridlocked'
Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said Spanish border officers were "just trying to create a delay by pretending to search" vehicles.
He told the BBC Spain was "bullying" Gibraltar in response to the creation of the artificial reef, which was made by placing concrete blocks in the sea on Wednesday and Thursday.
There has been tension between Spain and Gibraltar over fishing rights, and Mr Picardo said the reef had been built to "prevent Spanish fishermen fishing in a manner that is contrary to our law".
Spanish newspaper ABC reported that the Spanish government had made a formal complaint to the British about the work, saying the several dozen spiked concrete blocks could tear fishing nets, scare fish away and cause environmental damage.
On Friday and Saturday, Spanish customs officers stopped thousands of vehicles trying to leave Gibraltar for Spain. On Sunday the delays switched to traffic trying to enter the British territory.On Friday and Saturday, Spanish customs officers stopped thousands of vehicles trying to leave Gibraltar for Spain. On Sunday the delays switched to traffic trying to enter the British territory.
There were delays of nearly six hours for those leaving Gibraltar on Saturday in temperatures of 30C (86F).There were delays of nearly six hours for those leaving Gibraltar on Saturday in temperatures of 30C (86F).
Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said Spanish border officers were "just trying to create a delay by pretending to search" vehicles.
He told the BBC that Spain was "bullying" Gibraltar in response to the artificial reef, which was made by placing concrete blocks in the sea on Wednesday and Thursday.
There has been tension between Spain and Gibraltar over fishing rights, and Mr Picardo said the reef had been built to "prevent Spanish fishermen fishing in a manner that is contrary to our law".
A resident of Gibraltar, David Gibbins, told the BBC Saturday's delays had meant the territory - which has a population of under 30,000 - had been "gridlocked".A resident of Gibraltar, David Gibbins, told the BBC Saturday's delays had meant the territory - which has a population of under 30,000 - had been "gridlocked".
He said border guards had been "checking every bit of paperwork", which he said did not normally happen.He said border guards had been "checking every bit of paperwork", which he said did not normally happen.
Gareth Gingell, a member of the activist group Defenders of Gibraltar, said the Guardia Civil had been "only letting one car through about every 30 minutes" on Sunday.Gareth Gingell, a member of the activist group Defenders of Gibraltar, said the Guardia Civil had been "only letting one car through about every 30 minutes" on Sunday.
"It's taking about four hours for people to get through," he said. Another Defenders of Gibraltar member, Alfred Ballester, said a protest was held outside the governor of Gibraltar's house after Spanish border guards arrested a cyclist.
Mr Ballester said cyclists can normally go to the front of the border crossing queue, but in this case the man was told to go to the back and was arrested when he refused.
The Gibraltar government said the delays had affected tourists and thousands of people who go in and out of the territory every day to work.The Gibraltar government said the delays had affected tourists and thousands of people who go in and out of the territory every day to work.
On Sunday evening, the Foreign Office said that as well as the call between the two foreign ministers, the British ambassador in Madrid had raised concerns with the Spanish deputy foreign minister, and Britain had "registered our protest" with the Spanish ambassador in London.
"Our main concerns at the moment are restoring people's basic right to freedom of movement, and we want to work towards a speedy solution that will help to ease the very difficult situation and humanitarian issues at the border and enable a return to normal operations," said a spokesman.