‘Rude’ Prince Andrew’s trade role in question

Prince Andrew's suitability as the UK special representative for trade has been called into question following the leaking of a candid account of his professional conduct by the US ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.

In a diplomatic cable released yesterday by WikiLeaks, Tatiana Gfoeller describes a brunch in Kyrgyzstan in 2008 at which the Duke of York insulted the French, British and US governments as "verging on the rude".

The Duke of York was at a hotel in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, where he was being briefed by businessmen prior to a meeting with the country's prime minister.

Gfoeller, the only non-Commonwealth person present, noted Prince Andrew's "almost neuralgic patriotism" in one exchange when a British businessman observed that despite the "overwhelming might of the American economy compared to ours" the amount of American and British investment in Kyrgyzstan was similar.

Prince Andrew snapped: "No surprise there. The Americans don't understand geography. Never have. In the UK, we have the best geography teachers in the world!"

In another exchange that will cause fury in France, the discussion turned to the corruption in Kyrgyzstan's economy. The businessmen noted that President Bakiyev's son Maxim must always get "his cut" whenever business is discussed in the country. "Nothing ever changes here," said a businessman.

"Before all you heard was Akayev's son's name. Now it's Bakiyev's son's name."

The Duke of York "laughed uproariously" and said: "All of this sounds exactly like France."

Later, Prince Andrew described the Serious Fraud Office's "idiocy" in pursuing a corruption investigation into the al-Yamama arms deal between BAE Systems and Saudi Arabia.

Gfoeller describes the scene: "His mother's subjects seated around the table roared their approval. He then went on to 'these (expletive) journalists, especially from the Guardian, who poke their noses everywhere' and (presumably) make it harder for British businessmen to do business."

He then "castigated our stupid British and American governments which plan at best for 10 years whereas people in this part of the world plan for centuries".

Gfoeller is not the only one to express surprise at Prince Andrew's behaviou. Interviewed on the BBC's Newsnight last night, Labour MP John Mann said: "If these comments by Prince Andrew are accurate... then clearly it's in the public interest that they are out there, so that he can judge whether he is performing the role well and government can make that judgment as well."

Business secretary Vince Cable told Sky News that the Duke of York's contribution is "very positive" but that "it would be helpful not to comment on policy matters".

However, the Duke appears to be able to count on the support of the business community, if the response to his performance in Kyrgyzstan is anything to go on.

"On the way out," writes Gfoeller, "one of them confided to the
Ambassador: 'What a wonderful representative for the British people! We could not be prouder of our royal family!'" ·