The Diplomat
The Government has once again warned the Gibraltar authorities of its “opposition” to any landfill or construction operation in territories that are not part of those ceded by Spain under the Treaty of Utrecht.
The Executive has made this statement in a parliamentary reply to which Europa Press had access, after the PP asked them about the ‘Cape Vantage’ project, an “apparent tourist development” planned in “the coastal area to the northeast of the Rock, with foreseeable expansion of territory by reclaiming it from the sea in the territorial waters of the Spanish State”.
In their question, the Popular MPs Valentina Martínez and Fernando Adolfo Gutiérrez Díaz de Otazu asked the Government whether it intended to carry out any “diplomatic consultation” with the United Kingdom regarding the “intentions of this urban development and the potential use of maritime areas belonging to the Spanish State for sporting or luxury purposes”.
The Government assures that “through the usual diplomatic channels”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation “has reiterated its opposition to any landfill, construction or any other type of operation on areas not ceded by Article X of the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713”.
By virtue of this Treaty, Spain ceded the Rock to the UK, although the territorial cession was limited to the “city and castle of Gibraltar, together with its port, defences and fortresses belonging to it”, although the isthmus has subsequently been occupied and territory has been gained from the sea through successive infill operations.
In contacts with the British government, the parliamentary reply adds, it has also been pointed out that “this type of action is not in accordance with international law and has a negative environmental impact on areas of particular environmental sensitivity”. But, in addition, the government recalls, in the case of this particular project “Spain has been opposing its development since 2012”.
Moreover, the department headed by José Manuel Albares has asked the UK “to send the environmental impact report” of the project “as soon as possible, in application of the applicable international instruments”.
London has also been made aware of “the need to address this issue within the Technical and Coordination Commission of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Environmental Matters, signed by Spain and the United Kingdom on 29 November 2018”.
