Friday, October 1, 2021 - 09:27

The document said: We start from the premise that HMG, whilst willing to seek a modus vivendi with Spain over Gibraltar short of surrendering sovereignty, will not be able to achieve this in the foreseeable future and will therefore have to maintain the status quo despite sharp criticism in the United Nations and increased hostility from Spain.

Were Spain to attack the airfield or the Rock, we believe that diplomatic pressures might stop the fighting, but would not necessarily restore to us any ground over which Spain had gained control. We therefore assess our military aim to be to deter Spanish offensive action by the reinforcement of our military capability, to maintain the Integrity of the Colony in the face of Spanish pressure and, if attacked, to hold it for as long as possible to enable satisfactory restoration of the situation to be negotiated diplomatically.
Spanish aims could be:
a. To demilitarise the airfield by seizing it and destroying the installations and then withdrawing.
b. To seize and hold the airfield.
c. To capture the Colony.