In defence of Martin Packard

Sir,
My wife of 30 years is an English Cypriot. Her parents came originally from Yialoussa and Kyrenia and we still have relations on the island, and we visit often. Having been exposed during the past 30 years to the various conflicts and being British (not necessarily proud of my country of birth), I find last Sunday’s coffeeshop item regarding Martin Packard offensive.
In all my readings and lengthy discussions concerning whose fault this or that was, or who started the fight/atrocity, there is one man who stood out for reason – that was Martin Packard. He seemed to me to understand the problem. “Owning The Truth”, I believe, was an article by him, in which he stove to suggest to Cypriots, all Cypriots, that owning the truth was the only way to stop the crooks, liars, banana-republic-politicians and cowards from continuing to destabilise a beautiful island and its peace-loving residents.

Patroclos writes a fantastic column every week – except when he insults a man who spent time and energy in the field stopping Cypriots killing and maiming each other. In fact, Packard was so successful the British government of the day hoiked him out of Cyprus and posted him back to Germany.

I think Patroclos should do Cypriots everywhere a favour and sit down with Martin Packard and listen to one man, among a few, who could if listened to bring about peace, not a solution, mind, but peace and peace in the end is more important than any political solution – that’s if the Americans/British/Turks/Uncle-Tom-cobblies-of-all will let him.

To call Martin Packard a second rate spy is offensive. Do the groundwork, read your history!
Disgruntled.
Doug Light, Welling , Kent, UK

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.