SPAIN THREATENS PORTUGAL WITH REINTRODUCTION OF BORDER CONTROLS
Once again, Spain is resorting to political blackmail in trying to force the extradition by another Schengen country of an alleged ETA member.
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abel Matutes, has threatened that Spain will reintroduce border checks at its Schengen-internal borders with Portugal. The Spanish move is in response to a decision of the Portuguese Supreme Court to refuse the extradition, sought by Spain, of Jose Luis Telletxea, an alleged member of the violent Basque separatist organisation ETA. The man is accused in Spain of having smuggled terrorists out of the country.
The Supreme Court in Lisbon refused Mr Tellextea's extradition on the grounds that the Spanish authorities had not presented sufficient grounds justifying an extradition.
Commenting on the decision, Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Matutes said Portugal was at risk of becoming a "sanctuary for terrorists". Mr Matutes summoned the Portuguese authorities to put Mr Tellextea under strict police surveillance. He warned that, if Portugal failed to comply, Spain would reintroduce controls at the Portuguese borders. These were abolished in 1995 in accordance with the Schengen Implementing Convention.
The Spanish threat comes only a few months after the signing in December of a Spanish-Portuguese agreement on the setting up of four joint police posts at their common border.
Sources: Süddeutsche Zeitung, 5.3.97; Migration News Sheet No. 166/97-01.