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Russia cancels Spanish fuel stop for Syria-bound warships  / THE GUARDIAN – UPDATED

Madrid heavily criticised by Nato allies over refuelling plan for Russian flotilla at enclave of Ceuta – Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor – Wednesday 26 October 2016 14.27 BST Last modified on Wednesday 26 October 2016 14.55 BST  – Russia has withdrawn a request for a flotilla of warships to be allowed to refuel in Spain’s north African enclave of Ceuta, after Nato allies criticised Madrid for assisting warships they believe could be used to target civilians in Syria.The Russian embassy in Madrid gave no reason for the change of heart.

The Spanish foreign ministry said in a statement: “The Russian embassy has just informed us that it is withdrawing the request for permission for stopovers for these ships and these stopovers have therefore been cancelled.”

The refuelling plan had drawn criticism from the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, senior European parliamentarians and defence figures.The Spanish were accused of hypocrisy for potentially letting the warships refuel, after signing statements last week accusing the Russians of war crimes in Syria, and tweeting support for the “liberation of Syria” during a conference in Paris on Tuesday.

The Russian flotilla led by the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov had been due to dock at the enclave of Ceuta, on the tip of Africa’s north coast, across the Straits of Gibraltar from mainland Spain and bordering Morocco, which also lays claim to the territory. Although Ceuta is part of the EU, its Nato status is unclear, and since 2011 at least 60 Russian warships have docked there.

Prior to the Russian announcement, the UK’s defence secretary, Michael Fallon, said the UK “would be extremely concerned if a Nato member should consider assisting a Russian carrier group that might end up bombing Syria”.

“On the contrary, Nato should be standing together,” he said as Nato defence ministers gathered in Brussels.On Tuesday, Stoltenberg said: “We are concerned and have expressed very clearly by the potential use of that battle group to increase airstrikes on civilians in Aleppo.” He said it was “up to each nation to decide whether these vessels may obtain supplies and refuel at different ports along the route to the eastern Mediterranean”.

Nato is monitoring the movement of the eight-strong carrier battle group from northern Russia en route to the eastern Mediterranean, where alliance officials fear it will launch fighter bombers to hit north-western Syria early in November.

Last week, British Royal Navy vessels monitored the Russian warships as they moved through the Channel. The Spanish government had authorised several ships escorting the Kuznetsov to call at Ceuta in the coming days to take on water, food and fuel. Late on Tuesday the foreign ministry said it was reviewing that authorisation. www.mesop.de