Britain undeterred by Hannay incident

By Athena Karsera

BRITAIN says it will not be deterred from promoting the UN peace process in Cyprus, despite last week’s sharp exchange of letters over statements by British envoy Sir David Hannay.

“We regret what happened,” said a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London yesterday. “It was a step back and a missed opportunity for the promotion of the UN process.”

The official was referring to President Glafcos Clerides’ reaction to comments by Sir David on his arrival on Thursday, and his subsequent letter to British High Commissioner David Madden bowing out of a dinner engagement on Friday night.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the spokesman said: “It will not dampen our enthusiasm to do what we can for further progress in that process,” and noted that Sir David’s comments had been misunderstood.

President Clerides complained to Madden that he had taken offence at Sir David’s apparent insinuation that Clerides had used a letter to UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan about a freeze on weapons purchases as a bargaining manoeuvre.

The President insisted that the decision had been made in compliance with UN resolutions calling for the reduction of tension and progress towards a negotiated settlement.

Clerides also said Sir David had “advised us to follow the Swiss model”, but Madden’s letter of reply said the British envoy had not done so.

Sir David made no comment as he left on Sunday after his four-day visit.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.