British policy on Arms Sales to Spain during the Franco Dictatorship, 1953-1973

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Published 24-11-2011
Carolina Labarta Rodríguez-Maribona

Abstract

Full normal relations between Spain and Britain during the Franco period were prevented both by the nature of the Spanish regime and the question of Gibraltar. Although both countries managed successfully to leave their economic and trade relations unaffected by their political differences, the sale of arms and military equipment was unavoidably linked to the ups and downs of bilateral relations. For the different British Administrations, arms sales were one of the few levers they could use to try to influence the Spanish Government, especially regarding its policy towards Gibraltar. On this issue, political considerations ruled over economic ones for most of the period, and when finally London tried to detach military supplies from the Gibraltar question it was the Spanish government's turn to refuse to do so.

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