Spain and Argentina are considering joining forces to push the British out of the disputed territories of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.

Argentina has long wanted a return of the islands it calls Las Malvinas, but the centuries-old dispute over Gibraltar has heated up in recent weeks.  Britain installed an artificial reef off Gibraltar than Spain says interferes with its fishing fleet, and in retaliation Spain instituted a border crossing fee and rather intense security checks for the only traffic crossing to the Rock.  It now takes workers, many of them British, many hours and mucho dinero to get across.

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo is scheduled to travel to Buenos Aires next month to meet his Argentinean counterpart Hector Timerman.  They’ll strategize a “united front” to take their cases before the United Nations.  Argentina can use its two-year term as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council to put discussions about Gibraltar on the agenda.  Argentinean President Cristina Kirchner has already used it to hammer Britain over the sovereignty of the Falklands.

Meanwhile, the UK Royal Navy warship HMS Westminster is en route to Gibraltar on what England and Spain are calling a “routine” visit.