By Jean Christou
BRITAIN and the United States have expressed concern at anti-Nato feelings in Cyprus and their possible effects on nationals living in or visiting the island.
In a statement issued to wardens this week, the US embassy alluded to the frequent demonstrations and to isolated anti-American incidents.
It specifically mentioned the expulsion of an American citizen from the Palace College (several Britons were also expelled), as well as cases of shops posting signs saying British and American citizens were not welcome and anti-American graffiti scrawled on highway bridges.
“The embassy is concerned as to whether the situation impacts on the safety and well-being of American citizens residing in or visiting Cyprus,” the statement said. It also asked US citizens to pass on details of any such incidents in order to keep the embassy informed.
Speaking later in the day US ambassador Kenneth Brill sought to play down the circular, saying the embassy was just doing its duty in looking after its nationals. “We’re… just seeing if there is any problem out there… We just heard one or two small things. we are looking into them to see. It may not even be true.”
British High Commission spokesman Piers Cazalet said they had heard similar reports from British residents in Cyprus. “At the moment, the British High Commission is not going to circulate anything like the US embassy has done, but we are keeping a close eye on the situation,” Cazalet said.
The British Bases have been keeping a low profile since hostilities broke out in Yugoslavia, but a spokesman there confirmed yesterday that a young soldier had made a complaint with Cyprus police that he had been head- butted at an ATM in Yermasoyeia on April 3 at 3am. The complaint was later withdrawn.
“The young man alleged he was head-butted by an unknown male who said: ‘This is for your queen and this is for Serbia’,” the spokesman said
But he said that apart from that and anti-Nato slogans on the highway, bases personnel had not noticed any change in attitude towards them. However, as a precaution, the spokesman said soldiers had been told to stay away from Limassol during a recent anti-Nato concert in the town.
The Cyprus Mailwas contacted this week by a British tourist who recently returned to the UK. Brian Edwards, 57, from Rochdale, said he had been to Paphos seven or eight times but had this time noticed a difference in attitude.
“It was the general atmosphere and the kids out demonstrating. It was all one-sided and for the Serbs,” he said. “I and other people going back on the plane felt we were being given the cold shoulder because of the war.”
However, both Thomson Holidays and First Choice, two of Britain’s biggest operators, said they had received no negative feedback from British holidaymakers. “We are aware of the protests but they are no more than those in other countries,” a Thomson spokesman said, adding they had no reports of incidents against tourists.
A Western diplomatic source said it was more of a “feeling” of hostility towards Nato countries and of “feeling” unwelcome rather than any specific incidents. “It’s not the sort of thing you would complain about, but rather the sort of thing you would talk about with friends when you go home,” the source said.
“Tourists coming here from Nato countries are not expecting to find this sort of thing. They expect Cyprus to be on their side.”
A Paphos travel agency said yesterday there was a bit of anti-Nato activity in the town, with protests and car stickers saying ‘Nato Murderers’ or referring to British Prime Minister Tony Blair as ‘Tony Blinton’, but none of their clients had complained.
