Returning the Rock - Gibraltar

29 April 2002
The colony of just 6.5. sq km has been in British hands since the early 18th century. It was an important staging post for the Empire, and played a vital role in both world wars. On 14 occasions the rock has come under siege from Spain, but Britain has always clung on to its colony. "Spain has never liked the fact that they lost Gibraltar and have consequently made difficulties" says the Governor of Gibraltar.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

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News & Politics

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[nappy1905qqq]

Gibraltar is definitly British territory.

Takeshima island is Japanese island not Korean.

Etorofu and Kunashiri islands are Japanese territory not Russian.

[pinquifrustri]

With regard to Hong Kong, I must say it was a sad day for me. It's always sad to witness European decline all over the world. The handover of Macao by the Portuguese was a sad day too. As you say, an isolated Hong Kong Island was not viable. Actually, Deng Xiaoping told Thatcher: 'Hong Kong will be ours; it depends on you whether it'll be by peaceful of violent means'. I remember the band playing 'Highland Cathedral' and the Chinese soldiers entering the colony... a sad day.

[pinquifrustri]

Thanks man! He said it very quickly... and my English is not very good. Well, my disagreement is on the non-observance of some articles of the Treaty of Utrecht by the British-Gib authorities, not on the fact that Gibraltar is under British sovereignty or the Gibs feel more British than the British themselves. I respect their will. For me, Spanish claims on the fulfillment of the treaty is sensible, but claims on the Rock don't... as long as Llanitos don't want to be Spanish

[pinquifrustri]

@EddieExile Hello. Could you give me a hand? What does the man says when he's asked why Gibs should not become Spaniards? (12:00-12:11). Thanks beforehand!

[pinquifrustri]

@hmwawasi The lease was over Kowloon and the New Territories, not over Hong Kong Island. However, a war was on the stake, so at the end, the British Government yielded to Beijing pressure. Regarding ethnicity, Gibraltarians are a mixture of British, Irish, Spaniards, Genoese, Maltese and even Jews. Even though it is true tha they're culturally closer to Spain than to the UK, British sovereignty assures better life prospectives in terms of education, health system and salaries.

[hmwawasi]

@loumcast britain had to give hong kong back to china because there was a 99 year lease that expired in 1997. the uk respected the guidelines of the lease. there is no such lease with gibraltar. the gibaltarians are not british people inplanted on the rock. they are ethnically spanish. the big question is why these people whose culture is closely aligned to spain prefer to stay under uk rule and not be spanish

[nappy1905qqq]

Gibraltar is clearly British territory ... Takeshima is Japanese island not Korean ... Etorofu and Kunashiri are Japanese islands not Russian

[loumcast]

Why so much noise? When Britain handed back Hong Kong to China the people of that colony did not agree with that decision and it was given back to the righfull owner (China) anyway. They need to give Gibraltar back to Spain and when they do nothing is going to happened. Brits not only visit Spain in great numbers year after year but a lot of them have bought homes and moved there permanently. So whats the big deal?

[EddieExile]

@pinquifrustri

The UK IS at the centre of Europe, except that it is not in the eurozone.

The UK refused to join because it knew that trying to impose a single currency and economic policy on many different countries would be a disaster.

And some other countries are now saying they will join the UK and defy Merkozy dsctatorship...

That's why Sarkozy and his ministers are now hurling childish insults at the British

[pinquifrustri]

@EddieExile I think both arguments are true. The United Kingdom will be increasingly isolated if stays apart of the core of the EU. Besides that, is the only one strong and brave enough to say NO to Merkozy. I would like to have a President who said NO to France and Germany as well. Instead we'll have a President who bows before them. It is clear that Germany, followed in second term by France, wants to dominate Europe by echonomical means. If the UK opposes it, I'll support you.