Editing Foreign relations of Spain (section)

==== With Portugal ====
[[Olivenza]] ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]) or Olivença ([[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]) is a town and seat of a municipality, on a disputed section of the border between Portugal and Spain, which is claimed ''de jure'' by both countries and administered ''de facto'' as part of the Spanish [[Autonomous communities of Spain|autonomous community]] of [[Extremadura]]. The population is 80% ethnic Portuguese and 30% of Portuguese language. Olivenza/Olivença was under continuous Portuguese sovereignty since 1297 until it was [[War of the Oranges|occupied by the Spanish in 1801]] and formally ceded by Portugal later that year by the [[Treaty of Badajoz (1801)|Treaty of Badajoz]]. Spain claims the ''de jure'' (legal) sovereignty over Olivenza/Olivença on the grounds that the Treaty of Badajoz still stands and has never been revoked. Thus, the border between the two countries in the region of Olivenza/Olivença should be as demarcated by that treaty. Portugal claims the ''de jure'' sovereignty over Olivenza/Olivença on the grounds that the Treaty of Badajoz was revoked by its own terms (the breach of any of its articles would lead to its cancellation) when Spain invaded Portugal in the [[Peninsular War]] of 1807.<ref>Miguel A. Melón Jiménez,  "The Spanish-Portuguese Frontier (1297–1926). Identity midway between dialogue and settlement of accounts." in ''European Border Regions in Comparison'' (Routledge, 2014). 31–50.</ref>

Portugal further bases its case on Article 105 of the [[Congress of Vienna|Treaty of Vienna]] of 1815, which Spain signed in 1817, that states that the winning countries are to "endeavour with the mightiest conciliatory effort to return Olivenza/Olivença to Portuguese authority". Thus, the border between the two countries in the region of Olivenza/Olivença should be as demarcated by the Treaty of Alcanizes of 1297. Spain interprets Article 105 as not being mandatory on demanding Spain to return Olivenza/Olivença to Portugal, thus not revoking the Treaty of Badajoz. Portugal has never made a formal claim to the territory after the Treaty of Vienna, but has equally never directly acknowledged the Spanish sovereignty over Olivenza/Olivença.  Portugal continues to claim Olivenza/Olivença, asserting that under the [[Treaty of Vienna (1815)|Vienna Treaty]] of 1815, Spain recognized the Portuguese claims as "legitimate".

Another dispute surrounds the [[Savage Islands]], which Spain acknowledges to be part of [[Portugal]]. However, Spain claims that they are rocks rather than islands, and therefore Spain does not accept the Portuguese [[Exclusive Economic Zone]] (200 nautical miles) generated by the islands, while acknowledging the ''Selvagens'' as possessing [[territorial waters]] (12 nautical miles). On 5 July 2013, Spain sent a letter to the UN expressing these views.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.un.org/Depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/prt44_09/esp_re_prt2013.pdf|title=Spain's letter to the UN|publisher=UN|date=September 2013|language=es|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525185334/http://www.un.org/Depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/prt44_09/esp_re_prt2013.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref><ref>[http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/spain-disputes-portugal-islands/29269 "Spain disputes Portugal islands"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908225016/http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/spain-disputes-portugal-islands/29269|date=8 September 2013 }} ''[[The Portugal News]]''. Retrieved 9 September 2013.</ref>