UK Considering Legal Action in Gibraltar Row

　　Tensions between the UK and Spain are escalating¹ over Gibraltar.

 

　　London is threatening to take "unprecedented²" action against Madrid, while the latter insists it will not back down.

 

　　CRI's London correspondent Tu Yun has more.

 

　　Britain and Spain have been in diplomatic rows since late last month after the Gibraltarian authorities decided³ to create an artificial reef it claims aimed at replenishing fish stocks.

 

　　But Spain said the Gibraltar authorities made the move deliberately⁴ to block Spanish fishing boats in the area.

 

　　Madrid responded by increasing border controls and suggesting that a 50 euro, or some 66 US dollar fee could be imposed on every vehicle entering or leaving Gibraltar through its border with Spain.

 

　　After weeks of discussions British Prime Minister David Cameron says Britain is now considering legal action through the EU against Spain.

 

　　A Downing Street spokesman has called the move "unprecedented", but has not given any details on what the action would be.

 

　　But Spain insists it will not back down, defending its border control measures as "legal and proportionate".

 

　　On Monday, British Royal Navy warships⁵ set sail for the Mediterranean⁶.

 

　　The journey will include a stop in Gibraltar.

 

　　But Britain has stressed it's a routine exercise and has nothing to do with the row over Gibraltar, which is currently under British control but also claimed by Spain.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Tu Yun in London.

1 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

2 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

5 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

6 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。