The Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ossur Skarphedinsson, made a formal complaint yesterday about comments made by the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, during a session of Parliamentary question time. Minister Skarphedinsson called in the British Charge d'Affaires to Iceland to deliver the protest. The Ambassador of Iceland to the United Kingdom has also delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street.
Minister Skarphedinsson said that the Prime Minister's comments of 7 May inaccurately stated that the UK authorities were not the regulatory authority in the case of the Kaupthing, Singer Friedlander Bank. Furthermore the Prime Minister claimed that the UK authorities were in negotiations with the IMF on the rate at which Iceland can repay losses to British deposit holders. He earlier stressed that KSF Bank is a British Bank, under the regulatory authority of the UK Financial Services Authority.
The Icelandic Foreign Minister also said that the statement by the British Prime Minister about the role of the IMF in this context was surprising. The implication that negotiations were taking place between the UK and the IMP on Iceland were worrying, since this would not be compatible with the Articles of Agreement of the IMF.
It was only 6 months ago Icelandic officials urged labour ministers to stop using Iceland's financial problems to 'undermine the case for Scottish independence'. Cameron Buchanan, Iceland's honorary consul to Scotland believes labour has been cultivating the impression that Iceland's banking crisis proves that small countries cannot manage their financial affairs. Buchanan calls such notions 'objectionable' and the Icelandic Prime Minister is said to be incensed. The Norwegian government is also said to be angry at the labour party's apparent use of sensitive international matters to score points against domestic political opponents.
Iceland used to be one of our most loyal allies prior to Gordon Brown using the Terrorism Act to freeze their banks. It seems Gordon Brown is still determined to intimidate a small country who have had serious problems instead of offering the hand of friendship in their time of need and I'd put a small bet on Iceland to recover quicker from the credit crunch than the UK. The Europeans will have taken note of this - such formal complaints are taken seriously by the international community.
Source: Ice News
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20 comments:
I went to Iceland last August. It's a small, peaceful country who pride themselves on being self-sufficient.
I was shocked when Gordon Brown used the Terrorism Act against them. Not only is it extremely unwarranted, but totally unjustified.
Like for like, their economic credentials are must better than the UK and I agree that they're likely to recover before the UK.
In fact, I'll bet that everyone around the world will recover before the UK.
I don't know what it is about Great Britain's animosity towards Iceland.
I have wanted to go there for about 20 years and never quite made it.
Never mind gordon the moron. He is the lowest of the low - a very nasty footnote in the history of these great isles.
I'd like to make a formal complaint about Gordon Brown too, SR. What should I do..?
I firmly agree with you CB. Now that the Icelandics have sorted out their politicians the only way for them must be up.
WW in recent years he's always made me felt ashamed to be Scottish because of his attitude towards the land of his birth. But of course Alistair Darling isn't much better and he he's not a Scot, having been born in London and only one parent being a Scot. He still professes to be a Scot though because he has inherited the family home on Lewis. Snob.
Your anwser seems to be to employ a highly effective member of the UK diplomatic service Merk. I've no idea how much it would cost you for their services but I doubt if your complaint would go beyond bin 13. So sorry. At least No 10 has to acknowledge the message from Iceland although I doubt if they will heed it.
SR,
Shameful, I reckon we'll have Europe on our side before long! Broon clearly show's no aptitude for being an International Statesman, all he can do is point the finger and shout insults - twat!
CD
Iceland is a lovely little country, (although it's horrendously expensive to buy anything there), with great friendly people who speak better English than most of us. (Just as well; I learned some Icelandic on a course before I went and it's the hardest language I've ever tried!)
Brown and Britain have treated this country shamefully, and I hope that Iceland makes a big noise about this and shames Brown and his tawdry little government for trying to pass the buck to everyone else in the world for their own failings.
Wrinkled Weasel, you should definitely go to Iceland. It's an incredibly beautiful place, and quite unlike anywhere else due to its unique geology (mid-ocean ridge above sea-level since you ask!).
If you can't make it put some Sigur Ros on the stereo and read Egil's Saga, awesome stuff!
If you do visit Iceland, go when there is less than 22 hours of daylight every day. It was never dark in the month of August.
Local people were brilliant. Very expensive, but would definately go back.
You're too polite CD. I have a very dear friend who has 'lost' all their life savings with this nonsense from Brown and yet the UK treasury still insist that Kaupthing, Singer Friedlander are nothing to do with them. 10,000 UK tax paying citizens are involved in the fiasco and quite a few have died since this began, some because they didn't have any money to continue with health treatment. Many are UK citizens who live abroad. The whole thing leaves me speechless.
Ah forfar-loon, you listen to that too. One of my pals just adores Iceland and when I visit her she always plays that because she knows I love it. I've never been but perhaps one day.
Mah guid son's been tae Iceland mony a time. Ah asked him whit's it like? He sid: "It's like the Hebrides oan acid." Aye!
I've a pal who goes about every 3 years scunnert. It takes her that long to save up and she's the least adventurous person I know so it must have something.
The UK will live to regret this if the current research finds oil in Icelandic waters.
Strange WV: cocinsp
Aye indeed Brownlie and there is a good possibility there is some around. I read somewhere Jim Murphy was sent up to make the peace the other week. Seems Gordon Brown is hell bent on destroying this wee country in a similar manner to Scotland.
That sounds like Brown Subrosa. Bullies always like beating up things that are smaller than them. He's no just quite so brave against Germany and France though, and he positively slides like a wee snail around the Presidents of the USA and China.
Creep.
He's a disgrace tris and as brownlie says if Iceland discover oil he'll get his comeuppance.
Oh aye, he'll twist and twirl as long as America plays the tune.
forfar loon
I read nearly all the Sagas a few years back. Subrosa reminds me of Unn, (or Aud) The Deep Minded, a strong, independent woman, who ransacked bits of Scotland. (We all have our faults).
Young Weasel gave me a Sigur Ros DVD last year. It is very strange, a bit like picking up a cup of tea and discovering, on drinking it, that it is coffee. I also read, "Independent People", which is probably one of the most well known translations of an Icelandic novel, outwith the country. It is an interminable tale of struggle, misery, foul weather and a constant fight with the forces of nature and other people, so it kind of reminds me of home.
Bjork constantly rings me up and spends hours on the phone begging me to go over there, telling me it would make her "violently happy", so I suppose I should be polite, but seem seems like a piece of work to me.She has issues. "Hello Weasel, it's Bjork again", she says, and there is another hour out of my life that I will never get back.
Oh WW, you do flatter me. Nothing as romantic as Unn I'm afraid, just the product of a matriarchal upbringing in a city which was full of such women.
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