By Charlie Charalambous
CYPRUS and Britain were embroiled in a diplomatic storm yesterday over “insulting” comments made by London’s special envoy to the island, Sir David Hannay.
President Glafcos Clerides snubbed a dinner invitation from British High Commissioner David Madden in protest at what he called “offensive” statements by Sir David on his arrival on Thursday.
High Commission spokesman Piers Cazalet tried to play down the row earlier yesterday.
Asked about how Sir David felt about the situation, Cazalet told the Cyprus Mail: “Hannay’s feelings are of regret.”
But the war of words escalated last night when the government made public the letter Clerides had sent to Madden.
In it, he objected to Hannay’s “advising us to follow the Swiss model” and to “Sir David’s innuendoes” that he was engaged in tactical manoeuvring to score political points against Ankara.
In a tit-for-tat move, the High Commission then released its response from the High Commissioner to the President, saying that Sir David’s comments had been misunderstood.
“I am all the more saddened since, as you will see from the enclosed transcript, Sir David made neither of the points to which you objected,” Madden’s letter said.
Sir David was hit with an unprecedented double-snub yesterday when Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash cancelled his lunch appointment with him, which had been scheduled for noon.
In a terse announcement, the British High Commission said Sir David’s visit was part of a sustained effort towards a Cyprus settlement.
“We regret therefore that neither side has taken the opportunity to give us their views.”
The High Commission said Denktash had given no reason for his last-minute change of mind.
Government spokesman Christos Stylianides told his midday briefing that Clerides would not attend last night’s dinner in protest at “unfortunate statements” made by Sir David on Thursday.
“The President arrived at this decision after unfortunate statements by Sir David Hannay, and in taking this action he wishes to express his disappointment at, and dislike of, certain parts of his statements.”
Clerides said in his letter to Madden that he was unhappy with Sir David’s comments about “tactical advantage and manoeuvres” – a reference to his letter to UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan announcing a freeze on weapons purchases to allow the UN time to implement recent resolution 1218, which urges disarmament on both sides.
When Sir David was asked on Thursday whether the letter to Annan warranted a response from Ankara he said: “This is a tactical way of proceeding which I do not think will get us very far.”
Asked whether the Security Council should take measures if Turkey failed to comply with December’s resolution 1218, Sir David said: “Manoeuvring for tactical advantage of this sort, saying I am the good boy, I have accepted, they are the bad boys, has not frankly moved the Cyprus question from ground zero over 35 years.”
Specific mention of Hannay’s “tactical manoeuvring” comments are contained in the Clerides letter to Madden.
“I consider such statements offensive. I was not manoeuvring in order to show that I was the good boy…,” he wrote.
As for Sir David’s perceived support for the Swiss constitution as a role model for Cyprus, the Clerides letter points out that the Swiss model of a rotating presidency and cantons are “all… Turkey’s positions” and rejected by UN resolution 1217.
“So far as the Swiss constitution is concerned Sir David did not advise Cyprus to follow the Swiss model,” retorted the Madden letter.
Sir David and Clerides were scheduled to have dinner last night at the High Commissioner’s residence as part of a meeting of the British ambassadors to Cyprus, Athens and Ankara – Madden, Michael Smith and David Logan respectively.
Sir David had said the main purpose of his visit was to attend the conference of Britain’s ambassadors, and not to negotiate on the Cyprus problem or to bring any proposals.
Opposition parties such as centre-right Diko and communist Akel had earlier this week criticised Clerides for accepting the dinner invitation, saying that it downgraded his position.
Local politicians argued that Sir David should have shown Clerides the courtesy of visiting him at the Presidential Palace.
The President’s former coalition partner, Socialist Edek leader Vassos Lyssarides, said yesterday that Hannay should be “declared an undesirable”.
Communist Akel said Sir David’s “unacceptable comments” underlined the government’s “amateurish” approach to policy making.
Although Clerides’ dinner refusal may have been taken for domestic consumption, diplomats told the Cyprus Mail that the international community would not be amused.
“It will be difficult for the international community to fully appreciate why this decision was taken,” said one western diplomat last night.
