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Gibraltar row: Spain vows not to open any more UK diplomatic bags Gibraltar row: Spain vows not to open any more UK diplomatic bags
(35 minutes later)
Spain has promised it will not repeat its "serious interference" with Britain's official correspondence after its officials opened two government bags at the border with Gibraltar last week, MPs have been told.Spain has promised it will not repeat its "serious interference" with Britain's official correspondence after its officials opened two government bags at the border with Gibraltar last week, MPs have been told.
David Lidington, minister of state for Europe, told the Commons the incident was serious but Britain trusts the Spanish authorities will not worsen the situation by doing it again.David Lidington, minister of state for Europe, told the Commons the incident was serious but Britain trusts the Spanish authorities will not worsen the situation by doing it again.
"We take any infringement of these principles very seriously," he said. "The UK strictly adheres to these principles and we expect other states to do the same.""We take any infringement of these principles very seriously," he said. "The UK strictly adheres to these principles and we expect other states to do the same."
He said that Spain explained it was "an error at a junior operational level at the crossing point between Gibraltar and Spain and a more senior official put a stop to that interference as soon as he realised what had happened".He said that Spain explained it was "an error at a junior operational level at the crossing point between Gibraltar and Spain and a more senior official put a stop to that interference as soon as he realised what had happened".
In contrast, Spain's foreign minister,has publicly dismissed the incident, insisting the items searched "were not technically diplomatic bags". In contrast, Spain's foreign minister has publicly dismissed the incident, insisting the items searched "were not technically diplomatic bags".
The Spanish newspaper ABC said the package was sent from the governor of Gibraltar, possibly heading to the Foreign Office. It was with other bags and being transported by a messenger. When something caught their attention, the Guardia Civil agents opened the bags, possibly without noticing one bag had the seal of a diplomatic bag which, according to the Vienna Convention of 1961, one cannot open without authorisation from the sending country. The Spanish newspaper ABC said the package was sent from the governor of Gibraltar, possibly heading to the Foreign Office. It was with other bags and being transported by a messenger. When something caught their attention, the Guardia Civil agents opened the bags, possibly without noticing one bag had the seal of a diplomatic bag, which, according to the Vienna convention of 1961, one cannot open without authorisation from the sending country.
José Manuel García-Margallo, the Spanish foreign minister, told reporters yesterday that the bag wasn't clearly identified as a diplomatic bag. Britain says this is the first example of a breach of diplomatic protocol by one EU state on another but the incident was only the latest in an escalating row since Gibraltar created an artificial reef off its coast earlier this year, angering Spanish fishermen. The Spanish ambassador was called to the Foreign Office last week after what Britain called a provocative incursion by a Spanish research vessel into Gibraltar's territorial waters. José Manuel García-Margallo, the Spanish foreign minister, told reporters on Tuesday that the bag was not clearly identified as a diplomatic bag. Britain says this is the first example of a breach of diplomatic protocol by one EU state on another but the incident was only the latest in an escalating row since Gibraltar created an artificial reef off its coast earlier this year, angering Spanish fishermen. The Spanish ambassador was called to the Foreign Office last week after what Britain called a provocative incursion by a Spanish research vessel into Gibraltar's territorial waters.
Several backbenchers were not content with the explanation offered by Spain, with Sir Gerald Kaufman, a Labour MP, saying people had been subject to "harassment after harassment" at the border.Several backbenchers were not content with the explanation offered by Spain, with Sir Gerald Kaufman, a Labour MP, saying people had been subject to "harassment after harassment" at the border.
Nigel Evans, a Tory backbencher, said the action was unwarranted and called for Britain to send a message to Spain, saying: "Hands off the rock."Nigel Evans, a Tory backbencher, said the action was unwarranted and called for Britain to send a message to Spain, saying: "Hands off the rock."
Another Conservative MP asked whether it was time to send the Spanish ambassador back to Madrid – a suggestion rejected by the government.Another Conservative MP asked whether it was time to send the Spanish ambassador back to Madrid – a suggestion rejected by the government.
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