Gib tug-of-war: Spain and Argentina unite to reclaim the Rock and the Falklands from the UK

SPAIN'S foreign affairs minister is hoping to team up with his Argentine counterpart and launch a double territory dispute against the UK with the help of the United Nations to win back both Gibraltar – which has been British for over 300 years – and the Falkland Islands, known to Argentina as Las Malvinas.

José Manuel García-Margallo is due to fly out to the South American country next month to discuss the legal wrangling between the two nations over the expropriation of Repsol shares in the petroleum plant, YPF, and he claims that he and Argentine foreign minister Héctor Timerman 'will analyse the possibility' of the two countries approaching the UN jointly over the Rock and the Falklands.

This is likely to increase tensions already building between Spain and Britain over the colony on the tip of the mainland as the Spanish government continues to push for sovereignty and the UK remains firm in its determination not to yield its overseas territory.

Conservative leader David Cameron says the stance of the British coalition government 'has not changed' and is 'consistent' with its 'policies in other overseas territories'.

A spokeswoman for the British ministry of foreign affairs made this announcement in response to reports about the Spanish government's intention to get the UN involved.

“Self-determination is more important than national integrity. The people of Gibraltar have repeatedly and overwhelmingly expressed their wish to remain under British sovereignty,” the spokeswoman stated yesterday (Sunday).

Between a rock and a hard place: disputes over Gibraltar intensify

Spanish fishermen pulled up by British authorities over working in Gibraltar's waters, which Spain says it owns – Britain having sovereignty over the land comprising Gibraltar only – and the UK's decision to drop concrete blocks in the sea near the Rock to form an artificial reef was what began to cause simmering under the surface within the Spanish government.

And Spain's insistence on lengthy and meticulous inspections of random vehicles crossing the border, creating delays of between three and seven hours for workers commuting back and forth from the Rock to the province of Cádiz, as well as day-trippers, have infuriated the UK.

Whilst Spain insists these are in keeping with their duty to prevent cross-border smuggling, especially of contraband cigarettes, and that Gibraltar does not form part of the Schengen agreement, the UK says such actions are 'unacceptable' and 'unjustifiable' between two EU member States.

In response to this, García-Margallo says not only will the border checks not be reduced, but he now intends to make sure even more are carried out, and to charge a 50-euro fee for people entering and leaving Gibraltar.

He has also threatened to shut the airspace leading to the Rock and to find a way to scrap its 'tax haven' status.

Spanish president Mariano Rajoy has threatened legal action and to get the UN involved.

In the meantime, Gib border police say they are undergoing counselling because of the traumas involved with the border checks, dealing with angry drivers entering and leaving the Rock, and even protest demonstrations targeting them personally at their homes – a practice known as an escrache and started in Spain by campaigners seeking better legal protection for homeowners with mortgages.