The British navy will not increase its presence around its overseas territory Gibraltar, the Foreign Office said Saturday, refusing a request by the island's chief minister.
Peter Caruana, had sent a letter to London asking for more support, after a series of what it said were violations of its territorial waters by Spain, DPA reported.
"The Royal Navy is already present and their role is well-defined already," a Foreign Office spokesman said.
The dispute over the British territory's sovereignty stretches back hundreds of years and has recently led to fresh tensions between Spain and Gibraltar.
Caruana this week cancelled scheduled meetings with Spanish officials referring to maritime incidents that have taken place since May 2009.
In the most recent case, a Spanish police patrol vessel refused on September 28 to hand over to Gibraltarian police a suspected smuggler it had detained.
But on Friday Spanish parliament president Jose Bono insisted "Gibraltar is Spanish."