Anyone for Parsley?

Spain and Morocco disagree on everything to do with this rocky islet in the Strait of Gibraltar, including its name.

Morocco

· It's called Leila

· It lies 200 metres off the Moroccan coast

· Moroccan goats graze on it and our smugglers use it

· Spanish-Moroccan peace treaty of 1860 dealing with Ceuta does not mention it

· Moroccans prevented Spanish lighthouse being built in 1878

· Morocco repelled three Spanish attempts to land there at end of 19th century

· Spain declared Ceuta, but not Leila, sovereign land in 1949

· Leila, in effect, handed over when the Spanish protectorate in northern Morocco ended in 1956 (when Ceuta remained Spanish)

· Morocco protested at Spanish attempt to include Leila in Ceuta municipal chart in 1987. Leila removed

· Our police have visited it regularly for the past four decades

Spain

· It's called Parsley (Perejil)

· It lies three miles from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, to which it belongs

· Spanish divers swim around it

· Spanish smugglers use it

· Perejil and Ceuta were conquered by Portugal in 1415

· Portugal gave them to Spain in 1581

· Spanish troops placed on the islet in 1746

· Spain built lighthouse in 1878

· Spain established a permanent military post in 1912

· The military post stayed there until 1960 (ie after the 1956 protectorate)

· Our police have visited it regularly for the past four decades.