Spanish incensed by Gibraltar’s fervour

Press, 4 August 1981, Page 9

Spanish incensed by Gibraltar’s fervour

NZPA-Reuter Madrid The Spanish press reacted angrily yesterday to demonstrations of British fervour during the lightning honeymoon visit to Gibraltar by the Prinee and Princess, of Wales at the week-end, branding them “provocation,” “offence,” and “insult.” “The Gibraltarians took advantage of the visit to insult Spain,” the Catholic daily YA said across its front page. “A provocation. The private visit of the Prince of Wales to the British colony was turned into a show of national exaltation.” the Independent “El Pais" said. Madrid regards Gibraltar

as Spanish territory and the announcement of the Royal stopover caused King Juan Carlos to cancel a planned trip to attend the Royal wedding. “One thing seems increasingly clean this incident between London and Madrid seems clearly provoked by the (British) Foreign Office,” “El Pais” said. Several newspapers reported that there had been signs and slogans hostile to Spain and King Juan Carlos during the visit. “The stopover went far beyond a simple tourist happening to become a show of pure political propaganda

and a serious interference in the dialogue which tried to follow paths of friendship and mutual respect,” the monarchist daily “ABC” said in a front-page editorial. “The sympathy of the Spanish people for the young couple ... has to turn today into the sad and sore silence of those who do not understand why they are being offended so uselessly and unnecessarily,” it said. “Whether the English Princes like it or not, they must know that there is something on which all Spaniards agree: the idea that they are walking on a land which belongs to use and our sovereign,” it added.