By . Tim Shipman and Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 07:19 EST, 20 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:27 EST, 20 November 2013 . Warning: Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo has said Spain is no longer considered a 'friendly nation' Spanish vessels entering British territory near Gibraltar may come under fire as they are not identified as being from ‘a friendly nation,’ its chief minister said today. Fabian Picardo has warned that Spanish boats ‘may find themselves shot at’ if they continue to disregard Gibraltar’s marine borders. Mr Picardo also called for more senior assets from the British Royal Navy to be moved to the area. Warning that the Spanish ships could be seen as ‘terrorists’ he accused the country of ‘needling away at the United Kingdom and Gibraltar by taking such action’ in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. This came as several Tories demanded a show of force against Spain yesterday after a Spanish vessel made a ‘provocative incursion’ into Gibraltar’s territorial waters. Britain summoned the Spanish ambassador for a dressing down after the ocean survey vessel spent 20 hours defying the Royal Navy’s demands that it depart, escalating the diplomatic tensions over the Rock. The incident was denounced in Britain as the ship withdrew last night. But Tory MP Colonel Bob Stewart, who . was the British United Nations  commander during the Bosnian war, said . that if the Government is serious about defending Gibraltar’s . sovereignty it should send major combat units to deter Spanish . grandstanding. Former . Tory MP Louise Mensch added: ‘The next time a Spanish ship enters . Gibraltarian waters and refuses to leave after Royal Navy warnings we . should fire on them.’ The . long-standing dispute between Britain and Spain has flared up over the . past two years. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has blocked the . Spanish-Gibraltarian border and staged numerous incursions into . Gibraltarian waters. The . latest crisis occurred when a research vessel belonging to the Spanish . state, the RV Ramon Margalef, undertook significant surveying activity . in Gibraltar’s territorial waters. A . Royal Navy fast patrol boat was  dispatched to order it to leave. A . video that appeared on Sky News showed the Spanish survey ship being . flanked by small inflatable Navy boats. Scroll down for video . Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Sabre (pictured) intercepted a Spanish survey ship and asked it to leave British Gibraltar waters, but it refused. The Spanish ambassador has now been summoned to explain . An audio recording that was also broadcast starts with the captain of the Ramon Margalef saying: ‘We have the permission of the Spanish authorities.’ An officer in one of the British boats . replies: ‘You are in British Gibraltar territorial waters. I consider . you to be violating the United Nations Convention on  the Law of the . Sea, article one nine,  governing the rights of passage. Your activities . are being recorded and reported via the national authorities. ‘You are to cease your ongoing activities and to leave British Gibraltar territorial waters immediately. Acknowledge.’ The . captain of the Spanish boat then responds: ‘Good afternoon, sir. We are . carrying out our survey work. We will continue with our work. We have . got the necessary permits from Spain to perform such work. Thank you.’ The . boat withdrew only after Spanish ambassador Federico Trillo was . summoned by Matthew Rycroft, Acting Permanent Under Secretary at the . Foreign Office – the third time he has been summoned over Gibraltar . since the current Spanish government took office in December 2011. Tensions have been high in the region since the summer when Spain imposed border checks on every car causing up to six hours of delays . Europe Minister David Lidington said: ‘I strongly condemn this  provocative incursion and urge the Spanish government to ensure that it is not repeated. We stand ready to do whatever is required to protect Gibraltar’s sovereignty, economy and security.’ Mr Lidington said Spain has increased the number of its incursions into British territorial waters from around five per month to around 40 per month. The event comes two weeks after a Spanish boat made dangerous manoeuvres near Royal Navy  vessels in British waters, putting lives at risk and resulting in a minor collision. A Foreign Office source described relations with Spain as ‘well past the asking nicely stage’. But Conservatives expressed frustration that the Government has not taken a firmer line against Spanish provocation. David Cameron did not protest last week when the European Commission  refused to condemn Spain for blocking the Spanish-Gibraltar border over the summer. Colonel Stewart called for troops to be sent to the Rock: ‘I am afraid the Government has got to be stronger. ‘For goodness sake, can we get a stronger response to what’s happening to our people in Gibraltar? Why doesn’t the British Government make more use of the defence facilities in Gibraltar, by sending down more often an infantry company to be based in Gibraltar for perhaps six weeks at a time to exercise there, rather than sending it to somewhere  like Kenya.’ Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds responded: ‘We must strike a balance between being forceful, strong, determined to ensure the Spanish understand the UK Government’s position. ‘But we must also find mechanisms to de-escalate the situation, which is why we must get back to discussing solutions – without negotiating Gibraltarian sovereignty.’
Spain is not considered 'a friendly nation' say Gibraltar minister .
Fabian Picardo warned their ships 'may find themselves shot at'
Spanish ship RV Ramon Margalef entered British waters yesterday .
Refused to leave for 20 hours despite being contacted by HMS Sabre .
Foreign Office has asked the Spanish ambassador to explain .
By . Tim Shipman and Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 07:19 EST, 20 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:27 EST, 20 November 2013 . Warning: Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo has said Spain is no longer considered a 'friendly nation' Spanish vessels entering British territory near Gibraltar may come under fire as they are not identified as being from ‘a friendly nation,’ its chief minister said today. Fabian Picardo has warned that Spanish boats ‘may find themselves shot at’ if they continue to disregard Gibraltar’s marine borders. Mr Picardo also called for more senior assets from the British Royal Navy to be moved to the area. Warning that the Spanish ships could be seen as ‘terrorists’ he accused the country of ‘needling away at the United Kingdom and Gibraltar by taking such action’ in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. This came as several Tories demanded a show of force against Spain yesterday after a Spanish vessel made a ‘provocative incursion’ into Gibraltar’s territorial waters. Britain summoned the Spanish ambassador for a dressing down after the ocean survey vessel spent 20 hours defying the Royal Navy’s demands that it depart, escalating the diplomatic tensions over the Rock. The incident was denounced in Britain as the ship withdrew last night. But Tory MP Colonel Bob Stewart, who . was the British United Nations commander during the Bosnian war, said . that if the Government is serious about defending Gibraltar’s . sovereignty it should send major combat units to deter Spanish . grandstanding. Former . Tory MP Louise Mensch added: ‘The next time a Spanish ship enters . Gibraltarian waters and refuses to leave after Royal Navy warnings we . should fire on them.’ The . long-standing dispute between Britain and Spain has flared up over the . past two years. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has blocked the . Spanish-Gibraltarian border and staged numerous incursions into . Gibraltarian waters. The . latest crisis occurred when a research vessel belonging to the Spanish . state, the RV Ramon Margalef, undertook significant surveying activity . in Gibraltar’s territorial waters. A . Royal Navy fast patrol boat was  dispatched to order it to leave. A . video that appeared on Sky News showed the Spanish survey ship being . flanked by small inflatable Navy boats. Scroll down for video . Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Sabre (pictured) intercepted a Spanish survey ship and asked it to leave British Gibraltar waters, but it refused. The Spanish ambassador has now been summoned to explain . An audio recording that was also broadcast starts with the captain of the Ramon Margalef saying: ‘We have the permission of the Spanish authorities.’ An officer in one of the British boats . replies: ‘You are in British Gibraltar territorial waters. I consider . you to be violating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the . Sea, article one nine, governing the rights of passage. Your activities . are being recorded and reported via the national authorities. ‘You are to cease your ongoing activities and to leave British Gibraltar territorial waters immediately. Acknowledge.’ The . captain of the Spanish boat then responds: ‘Good afternoon, sir. We are . carrying out our survey work. We will continue with our work. We have . got the necessary permits from Spain to perform such work. Thank you.’ The . boat withdrew only after Spanish ambassador Federico Trillo was . summoned by Matthew Rycroft, Acting Permanent Under Secretary at the . Foreign Office – the third time he has been summoned over Gibraltar . since the current Spanish government took office in December 2011. Tensions have been high in the region since the summer when Spain imposed border checks on every car causing up to six hours of delays . Europe Minister David Lidington said: ‘I strongly condemn this provocative incursion and urge the Spanish government to ensure that it is not repeated. We stand ready to do whatever is required to protect Gibraltar’s sovereignty, economy and security.’ Mr Lidington said Spain has increased the number of its incursions into British territorial waters from around five per month to around 40 per month. The event comes two weeks after a Spanish boat made dangerous manoeuvres near Royal Navy vessels in British waters, putting lives at risk and resulting in a minor collision. A Foreign Office source described relations with Spain as ‘well past the asking nicely stage’. But Conservatives expressed frustration that the Government has not taken a firmer line against Spanish provocation. David Cameron did not protest last week when the European Commission refused to condemn Spain for blocking the Spanish-Gibraltar border over the summer. Colonel Stewart called for troops to be sent to the Rock: ‘I am afraid the Government has got to be stronger. ‘For goodness sake, can we get a stronger response to what’s happening to our people in Gibraltar? Why doesn’t the British Government make more use of the defence facilities in Gibraltar, by sending down more often an infantry company to be based in Gibraltar for perhaps six weeks at a time to exercise there, rather than sending it to somewhere  like Kenya.’ Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds responded: ‘We must strike a balance between being forceful, strong, determined to ensure the Spanish understand the UK Government’s position. ‘But we must also find mechanisms to de-escalate the situation, which is why we must get back to discussing solutions – without negotiating Gibraltarian sovereignty.’
Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo has said Spain is no longer considered a 'friendly Picardo has warned that Spanish boats ‘may find themselves shot at’ if they continue to disregard summoned the Spanish ambassador for a dressing time a Spanish ship enters . Gibraltarian waters state, the RV Ramon Margalef, undertook Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Sabre (pictured) ongoing activities and to leave British Gibraltar Permanent Under Secretary at the . Foreign Office