Category: Non-EU Countries

UN condemns Israel’s deadly raid on blockade-busting aid convoy as British relatives face anxious wait for news

United Nations calls for impartial investigation

One Briton injured – 28 believed to be on flotilla

Israel: This was not a successful operation

Turkey accuses Israel of ‘state terrorism’

The United Nations Security Council today condemned Israel’s bloody commando raid on the Gaza flotilla and which left up to 19 dead and called for an impartial investigation into the incident.

In a statement released after a marathon 12-hour session, the body attacked ‘those acts’ which resulted in the loss of life.

But it stopped short of naming Israel outright, a move designed to placate the country’s closest ally the United States.

The statement, which called for ‘a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation, is unlikely to assuage Turkey.

Ankara had used some of the harshest language against the Jewish state for launching the raid against the flotilla, which included a Turkish ferry on which the pro-Palestinian activists were killed.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, whose country drafted the initial presidential statement, called the Israeli raid ‘banditry and piracy’ on the high seas and ‘murder conducted by a state’.

The United Nations Security Council today condemned Israel’s bloody commando raid on the Gaza flotilla and which left up to 19 dead and called for an impartial investigation into the incident.

In a statement released after a marathon 12-hour session, the body attacked ‘those acts’ which resulted in the loss of life.

But it stopped short of naming Israel outright, a move designed to placate the country’s closest ally the United States.

The statement, which called for ‘a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation, is unlikely to assuage Turkey.

Ankara had used some of the harshest language against the Jewish state for launching the raid against the flotilla, which included a Turkish ferry on which the pro-Palestinian activists were killed.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, whose country drafted the initial presidential statement, called the Israeli raid ‘banditry and piracy’ on the high seas and ‘murder conducted by a state’.

The United Nations Security Council today condemned Israel’s bloody commando raid on the Gaza flotilla and which left up to 19 dead and called for an impartial investigation into the incident.

In a statement released after a marathon 12-hour session, the body attacked ‘those acts’ which resulted in the loss of life.

But it stopped short of naming Israel outright, a move designed to placate the country’s closest ally the United States.

The statement, which called for ‘a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation, is unlikely to assuage Turkey.

Ankara had used some of the harshest language against the Jewish state for launching the raid against the flotilla, which included a Turkish ferry on which the pro-Palestinian activists were killed.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, whose country drafted the initial presidential statement, called the Israeli raid ‘banditry and piracy’ on the high seas and ‘murder conducted by a state’.

The incident happened in international waters and worldwide condemnation of Israel was swift.

Former British ambassador to the UN Sir Jeremy Greenstock said there had been ‘immediate international rage’ following the ‘unnecessary loss of life’.

He said that Israel had to make sure weapons were not getting into Gaza ‘so some kind of defence is necessary but this was clearly not very well handled’.

Sir Jeremy added: ‘It’s past time by some years for serious international action to end the blockade and the virtual starvation of Gaza.

‘This is not going to work as a way of dealing with the Palestinian territories over the long term.

‘It’s not going to work, frankly, for a democratic and law-abiding nation such as Israel – it’s changing the character of Israel to be responsible for this kind of occupation for so long.

‘And to my mind, this situation is just not necessary as it stands at the moment.’

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues said the flotilla raid had caused ‘indescribable pain” to the families of those killed and “provoked anger around the world’.

The three MPs co-chairing the group – Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes, Labour’s John McDonnell, and Conservative Gary Streeter – released a statement urging all sides to renounce violence.

They said: ‘As long as this long-running dispute remains unresolved, we fear that many more lives will be lost on all sides, resulting in even more pain and further deepening the hatred and distrust between all those involved.

‘Conflict resolution has been successfully used to end conflict in other parts of the world – now it’s time for the Israel-Palestine conflict to be resolved, for good.’

Turkey, from where most of the dead are said to come, accused Israel of ‘state terrorism’ and withdrew its ambassador to Tel Aviv.

Tens of thousands marched through Istanbul and attempted to storm the Israeli consulate, chanting: ‘ Murderous Israel, you will drown in the blood you shed.’

Deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc called Israel’s actions ‘piracy’ and cancelled three planned joint military exercises.

Foreign Secretary William Hague ‘deplored the loss of life’ and asked for access to the British involved, while David Cameron branded the attack ‘unacceptable’.

The deadly clash sparked a wave of furious condemnation of Israel – with 2,000 demonstrators outside the gates of Downing Street and thousands more outside the Israeli Embassy in West London.

In Paris, hundreds clashed with police near the Israeli Embassy. Police responded by firing tear gas.

The White House, which has close ties with both Israel and Turkey, expressed ‘deep regret at the loss of life in today’s incident, and concern for the wounded’.

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu cancelled a trip to Washington planned for today to head home as the crisis erupted.

He expressed his ‘full backing’ for the military action.

Earlier, the UN said it was ‘shocked’ by the violence. Following a 90-minute open meeting, the Security Council went into closed-door consultations. Diplomats said envoys were haggling over the text of a proposed statement by the council, a task that dragged on into the evening.

Many council members criticized the Israeli action with varying degrees of vehemence, and said it was time for Israel’s three-year-old blockade of Hamas-controlled Gaza to be lifted.

‘This is tantamount to banditry and piracy,’ Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told the council. ‘It is murder conducted by a state.’

The Jewish state argues that the blockade, which began in 2007, is necessary to prevent arms reaching the Hamas-controlled enclave.

The high-profile aid mission – unofficially supported by Turkey – set off from Cyprus on Sunday, led by the Turkish passenger ferry the Mavi Marmara, with 500 people aboard and 10,000 tons of food, medicines and building materials.

There were two other passenger ships – one Irish and one Swedish – and three cargo ships thought to be all Turkish. After warnings from Israel to turn back, they were intercepted before dawn yesterday by three warships about 40 miles from Gaza, still within international waters.

Commandos launched their raid on the Marmara by helicopter, slipping down a rope to the top deck. Greta Berlin, a founder of the Free Gaza Movement and one of the organisers of the flotilla, claimed the marines fired indiscriminately at unarmed civilians.

‘We are all civilians,’ she said. ‘Every one of us is a civilian who is trying to break Israel’s blockade of one and a half million Palestinians.’

Audrey Bomse, another spokesman for the movement, told the BBC: ‘We were not going to pose any violent resistance.’

However the Israeli Defence Force posted a video on the internet site YouTube of footage taken from the helicopter which it claimed showed its soldiers being attacked as they landed.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the commandos had orders to use ‘minimum force’ to commandeer the vessels, and met only token resistance on the other five ships.

But he said the forces were ‘ambushed’ on the Mavi Marmara by protesters using ‘extreme violence’ with weapons including two pistols, knives and iron bars.

The commandeered ships were brought several hours later into the port of Ashdod, where passengers were given the option of being voluntarily deported or arrested and taken to Israeli prisons.

There was a communications blackout, with the surviving protesters’ satellite phones being confiscated, making it impossible to hear their version of events.

The Daily Mail

June 1, 2010
Germany’s Deutsche Bank divests from Israel firm linked to West Bank separation fence

The West Bank separation fence that runs through Bethlehem. Photo by: Tess Scheflan

In 2009, Norway pension fund also divested from Elbit, which manufactures a monitoring system installed on several parts of the separation fence.

By Haaretz Service

Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest bank, had sold its holdings in Israeli arms firm, Army Radio reported Sunday, citing pressure by pro-Palestinian groups as the reason for the move.

Although Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann did not state the reason for the bank’s divestment of the Israeli firm, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and Pax Christi, two groups critical of Elbit’s involvement in the West Bank Separation fence, issued a joint statement Friday calling their divestiture campaign “a major success.”

Last year, Norway’s finance minister, Kristin Halvorsen, announced at a press conference in Oslo earlier in the day that its divestment of Elbit had been spurred by the firm’s involvement in the construction of the separation fence.
According to a political source in Jerusalem, the Foreign Ministry had planned to issue a harsh statement of condemnation immediately after the announcement, but following the meeting with Lian the ministry decided to tone it down.

The explanations for the divestment provided by the Norwegian envoy at the meeting were apparently the reason for the ministry’s moderation of its response.

At the press conference, Halvorsen said the decision was based on the recommendation of Norway’s Ministry of Finance council on ethics, whose role is to ensure that government investments abroad meet ethical guidelines.

“We do not wish to fund companies that so directly contribute to violations of international humanitarian law,” said the minister. She said the shares were sold secretly ahead of the announcement.

Elbit manufactures a monitoring system installed on several parts of the separation fence.

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/2010-05-30/ty-article/germanys-deutsche-bank-divests-from-israel-firm-linked-to-west-bank-separation-fence/0000017f-db87-df62-a9ff-dfd738d40000, 30.05.10

June 1, 2010
Torture claims investigation ordered by William Hague

Judge will investigate allegations that UK was complicit in abuse of detainees

Patrick Wintour, Nicholas Watt, Ian Cobain

William Hague arrives at Downing Street for a cabinet meeting. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

A judge will investigate claims that British intelligence agencies were complicit in the torture of terror suspects, William Hague, the foreign secretary, said tonight.

The move was welcomed by civil liberties campaigners and may put pressure on the Labour leadership candidate and former foreign secretary David Miliband, who was accused by Hague, while in opposition, of having something to hide.

Miliband has repeatedly rejected the accusation and broadly indicated that he or his officials may have been misled by foreign intelligence agencies about the degree of British complicity.

Hague’s remarks appear to have caught the Foreign Office by surprise, as no details were yet available on how the inquiry will be conducted, its terms of reference or when it will start work.

Hague will come under pressure to ensure the inquiry is public and comprehensive. He first called last year for an independent judicial inquiry into claims that British officials had colluded in the torture of Binyam Mohamed, the former Guantánamo detainee and a UK resident.

Mohamed claimed that he was tortured by US forces in Pakistan and Morocco, and that MI5 fed the CIA questions that were used by US forces.

Philippe Sands QC, professor of law at University College London, said tonight: “To restore trust in government, both here and abroad, and to get to the truth, the inquiry needs to be deep and broad and as open as possible. It should address, in particular, who authorised what and when and why, what the relevant legal advice said, and how it related to any change in US practice in 2002 and 2003.”

Tayab Ali, a London solicitor who represents a number of men alleging torture, said the inquiry presented “a significant and precious opportunity” for the British public to understand their country’s role in torture.

He Ali added: “It is essential that the inquiry is credible. It should be as open as possible, led by a judge and those affected should be properly represented. Anything less is likely to mean that the inquiry will fail in providing proper answers and holding those responsible to account for their actions.”

Hague’s statement redeems a pledge that both he and his then Liberal Democrat opposite number, Ed Davey, made in opposition. Hague told the BBC: “We have said again in the coalition agreement that we want a judge-led inquiry. So will there be an inquiry of some form? Yes, both parties in the coalition said they wanted that. Now what we’re working on is what form that should take.”

The coalition agreement published today by the government does not explicitly call for a judicial inquiry; it simply states: “We will never condone the use of torture.”

Hague criticised the Labour government last year for failing to provide straightforward answers after the high court upheld one of Mohamed’s claims. This was that the security services had put questions to him, through the US, even during a two-year period when they did not know where Mohamed was being held, according to Hague.

“So far ministers have stuck to the mantra that ‘we never condone, authorise or co-operate in torture’,” Hague wrote. “But this does not dispel any of the accusations. If anything, there is now a direct and irreconcilable conflict between such ministerial assurances and the account given by Mr Mohamed. That must be resolved.”

He added: “We cannot sweep these allegations under the carpet. Until the full facts are known, Britain’s name and reputation will be dragged through the mud – not least by the terrorists and extremists who will exploit these allegations for their own propaganda.’

“It is vital to remember that torture does not help us defeat terrorists; it helps them to try to justify their hostility to us.”

The inquiry to which Hague has now committed himself will need to find a way of offering immunity to anyone who comes forward to give evidence. Although immunity deals are rarely granted to those who are complicit in torture, lawyers who advised Tory shadow ministers in the run-up to the election concluded that it is possible. Such a deal would be of clear benefit to the two MI5 and MI6 officers who are currently at the centre of a Scotland Yard investigation into their alleged criminal wrongdoing.

An inquiry may also help to resolve the many civil cases being brought by victims of torture and rendition. Government lawyers are expected to offer out-of-court settlements worth millions of pounds after the court of appeal this month dismissed an attempt by MI5 and MI6 to suppress evidence of alleged complicity.

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2010/may/20/torture-william-hague-terrorism, 20 May 2010

May 28, 2010
Councils carry out over 8,500 covert surveillance operations

Only 4.5% cases result in prosecution and the research shows that the vast majority were concluded without anything substantial being discovered

Alan Travis

More than 8,500 covert surveillance operations on members of the public have been carried out by 372 local authorities in Britain in the past two years – the equivalent of 11 a day, according to a study published today.

The research by the pressure group Big Brother Watch names Newcastle upon Tyne as the worst local authority in the country for the use of its powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, having spied on its residents 231 times over the past two years.

West Berkshire and Walsall were close behind, however, with 228 and 215 Ripa authorisations respectively since April 2008.

The survey used freedom of information requests to collect details of 8,575 covert surveillance and bugging operations carried out under the Ripa powers, and demonstrates the rapid advance of the “surveillance society“.

The councils reported that the large number of surveillance operations resulted in 399 prosecutions, representing fewer than 4.5% of all operations, although some councils said they did not keep details of prosecutions. But the results show that the vast majority were concluded without anything substantial being discovered.

The survey found that councils in England, Wales and Scotland had used their powers to spy on their own employees. In Darlington they checked up on their car parking, in Exeter on their working times, and in Hammersmith and Fulham on their sick pay claims. In Liverpool, they spied on wardens employed to spot crime.

More than a dozen councils have used their Ripa powers to catch pet owners whose dogs are fouling the pavements. A further five mounted covert surveillance operations to enforce smoking bans. In Bromley the council even spied on a charity shop to see if people were “fly-tipping” their donations at the door.

The coalition agreement published last week promised action to curb the use of surveillance powers. Ministers intend to introduce legislation to ensure that the Ripa powers are used only in cases involving serious crime and only if a magistrate’s warrant has been obtained first.

Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, said the survey revealed the “absurd and excessive lengths” local government was prepared to go to in using the Ripa powers.

“These powers have to be taken away from councils,” he said. “[That] the coalition government plans to force councils to get warrants before snooping on us is good, but it doesn’t go far enough. If the offence is serious enough to merit covert surveillance, then it should be in the hands of the police.”

He said there should also be an obligation to notify innocent victims who have been placed under surveillance but subsequently acquitted of any offence. Deane said it would change the culture if officials knew they had to justify their actions to their victims.

The watchdog group says that it will still be possible for councils to catch the fly-tippers and dog-foulers without using these snooping powers. It cites Bradford council, which reduced its use of Ripa covert operations by telling noise pests that their noise levels would be monitored by tape-recording equipment in their neighbours’ houses, or by council officials turning the operation into one of overt surveillance, which was much more effective.

The most notorious Ripa case occurred in 2008, when Jenny Paton and her family in Poole, Dorset, found themselves the subject of a three-week covert surveillance operation, including being secretly followed by council officials, after Paton was wrongly suspected of lying about her address to get her daughter into a particular school.

Total number of uses of Ripa from 2008 to 2010

1 Newcastle upon Tyne 231

2 West Berkshire 228

3 Walsall 215

4 Oxfordshire 192

5 Birmingham 176

6 Bromley 150

7 Salford 149

8 Hampshire 137

9 Kent 136

10 Sandwell 135

11 Durham 124

12 Wandsworth 120

13 Surrey 105

14 Camden 104

15 Liverpool 101

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/24/councils-covert-surveillance-operations, 24 May 2010

May 28, 2010
Duchess of York accepts charity award

“I hate grown-ups, and I love children. Thank you very much,” she said.
Sarah Ferguson Türkiye aleyhtarlığını kışkırtıp arttırmak amacı ile, izinsiz olarak gizlice Türk öksüz ve yetim çocuk bakımevlerine yardımcı olacak hayırsever taklidi ile girmişti. Bu hareketi hem İngiltere hemde Türkiye yasalarina kesinlikle aykırı olarak, çocuklarin gizlilik, mahrumiyet ve kişilik haklarına tecavüz ederek onları filme almıştı, bu filmde ayrıca İngilterede açıkca izinsiz olarak, çocukların ve calışanların yüzleri gösterilerek oynatılmıştı. Bunun için kimden ve nekadar para aldığı henüz bilinmeyen Sarah Ferguson’a bu haftasonu uluslararası ödül veren Variety International’in baskanı ise İngiliz Julia Morley. Hollywood artistleriyle yakın ilişkili olan Variety International’in merkezi, Ermeni Diasporasinin bir numarali merkezi Los Angeles, California da calişmakta.
Holywood elçileri arasında Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Shirley Bassey, Michael Caine, Vera Lynn ve Nick Faldo da var.

Şu anda hakkında polis soruşturmasıda olduğu bilinen Sarah Fergusonun bunun içinde rüşvet almış olabileceği büyük olasılık olarak gözüküyor.

Sarah Fergusonun sevgisinin çocuklardan çok paraya olduğuda hala ortada olmasına rağmen Holywood elitlerinden utanmadan sıkılmadan ödül alması akıllarda birçok soru işareti uyandırdı.

======================================================================

By Jennifer Still

Sarah Ferguson was on hand to accept an award for her work with a children’s charity on Sunday despite her recent cash sting scandal.
The Duchess of York admitted at the Hollywood gala that she’d had “quite a heavy day”, reports AFP. Her acceptance speech is said to have been brief.

“I hate grown-ups, and I love children. Thank you very much,” she said.

Simon Cowell defended the Duchess, and applauded her passion for turning up at the event.

Digital Spy

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May 26, 2010
Sarah Ferguson faces losing royal home after cash for access scandal

‘Phew, I’ve had a heavy day’: Fergie tries to put on a brave face over £500,000 cash-for-access scandal at star-studded charity dinner

Sarah Ferguson attempted to put on a brave face over the £500,000 cash-for-access scandal last night, telling a charity awards dinner: ‘Phew… I’ve had a heavy day.’

The ‘penniless’ duchess was at a black tie reception in Los Angeles having flown in from the South of France where she had been a guest at Naomi Campbell’s 40th birthday party.

She was at the top table alongside Simon Cowell, who was receiving an award for his humanitarian work, and his fiancée Mezhgan Hussainy.

Meanwhile Prince Andrew was today preparing to hold crisis talks with the Queen after his ex-wife was exposed offering access to him for £500,000.

The duchess, said to be ‘devastated and regretful’ at being secretly filmed by an undercover reporter posing as a businessman, looked pale and tearful as she arrived at Los Angeles airport.

But she had changed and looked refreshed for last night’s dinner. She avoided the red carpet and was ushered in through a back door by security men to pick up an award from the Variety charity for her work with underprivileged children.

Once she was inside an official photographer for the event was only allowed to take pictures of the Duchess while she was on stage.

She told the audience: ‘Thank you all so very much. When I got on that flight today I thought “Phew, I’ve had a heavy day”.’

And to roars of laughter, she added: ‘I learned today about making a difference. Most importantly I learned I hate grown-ups and I love children.’

The reception was held at LA’s five star Renaissance Hollywood Hotel. She had been expected to stay there but cancelled her reservation after the scandal broke and decided to stay with friends instead.

The duchess received the Catherine Variety Sheridan Award, which is given each year by the charity to someone for their philanthropic work with underprivileged and disabled children.

And the master of ceremonies for the event paid tribute to her for attending given the crisis unfolding around her.

He announced to the audience, which included four former Miss Worlds, that she had told him earlier: ‘Whatever else, I will not let down the children.’

But several people involved with Variety said she should use the event to apologise publicly.

Andrew Buskard, director of events for a youth section of the charity in Vancouver, Canada, said before the speech: ‘Yes, I think that would be fitting. The timing, it’s unfortunate. But we are just glad she’s here. I hope all the attention brought to this event isn’t negative. She’s here for a good cause.

‘I hope people realise she is here for the charity. Maybe she could make a light joke, maybe it’s too early to joke.

‘But definitely a comment would be appreciated because it will be the elephant in the room.’

The duchess had been filmed by the News Of The World pocketing $40,000 (£27,600) in cash as a down payment for her grubby scheme to give access to her former husband Prince Andrew.

She was apparently unaware that she had been the victim of a sting until the story broke at around 1am on Sunday as she partied with A-list stars at the Cannes film festival.

She and elder daughter Beatrice, 21, had joined guests including Jennifer Lopez, Grace Jones and Eva Herzigova for Naomi Campbell’s birthday.

An insider at the exclusive Eden Roc hotel in Cap D’Antibes told the Daily Mirror: ‘They were dancing along to the Black Eyed Peas, who were performing live.

‘They were waving their arms and singing “Tonight’s gonna be a good night” and looked like they were having a brilliant time. Fergie went over to wish Naomi a happy birthday, but then she and Bea suddenly disappeared around 1am. Nobody knew why.’

It appears this was when an aide broke the news to her that she had been exposed in the News Of The World.

The revelations appeared to be taking their toll on the duchess as she flew in to Los Angeles. On the flight a fellow passenger said she appeared ‘very, very upset’.

She looked red-eyed and stunned as she arrived in the U.S. city on an American Airlines flight from Heathrow to attend an awards ceremony where she was honoured for her work with disadvantaged children.

With her face bare of make-up and her hair scraped back in a bun she was barely recognisable as she walked through arrivals to be met by an American woman who attempted to shield her from the waiting press.

The 50-year-old, who wore a cream coloured trench with long green scarf, did not respond to questions about the scandal and was escorted from Terminal Four at Los Angeles International Airport around 2.15pm (10.15pm UK time).

Instead she was quickly ushered into the back of a black Mercedes town car where she looked close to tears and was seen nervously picking at her fingernails

Prince Andrew arrived back from a visit to Singapore last night as his ex-wife offered to quit his royal residence in the wake of the scandal.

The duchess’ offer to move out of the royal residence presents her ex-husband with a dilemma. If he accepts Sarah’s offer to move out, he has no idea where she will go or who will pay for her accommodation.

There is also the risk that, outside the royal fold, she could be a loose cannon causing further mayhem.

If she stays, he faces the humiliation of being under the same roof as a woman who has, not for the first time, brought shame on the Royal Family.

A Palace spokesman said Andrew ‘categorically denies any knowledge of any meeting’ between the duchess and a reporter from the News of the World.

He was said to have spoken briefly on the phone to his ex-wife.

And in a statement, Fergie apologised for a ‘serious lapse of judgment’ and admitted her financial situation is ‘under stress’.

The Queen was dismayed by the conduct of her former daughter-in-law and the embarrassment it has heaped on her grandchildren Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

The first item on the agenda of the talks with Andrew is whether the duchess’s offer to quit Royal Lodge in Windsor should be accepted.

‘We have been here so many times before with the duchess,’ said one senior royal insider. ‘She’s offered to leave before but she never goes.’

The 50-year-old duchess is also facing a tax investigation after being caught accepting a large cash gift.

Prince Charles, long a critic of the former Sarah Ferguson, is appalled by her latest errors of judgment.

And, highly unusually, a government minister has publicly criticised the duchess, breaking the convention that controversies relating to the Royal Household should be above party politics.

Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone, a Liberal Democrat, said Fergie’s actions appeared ‘shoddy and grubby’.

She said: ‘There she is saying “Give me money and I will give you access to Andrew”. It’s really depressing. Lord knows what the Queen thinks.’

In her taped indiscretions, the duchess claimed to be living off the trust funds of her daughters which were funded by the late Queen Mother – the last Duchess of York.

Friends of the duchess, who is in LA to receive the Catherine Variety Sheridan Award – presented annually to a person in recognition of his or her philanthropic achievements, primarily with underprivileged and disabled children – admitted she had been ‘stupid and naive’ because of the continuing ‘perilous’ nature of her finances.

During the undercover operation, she made a series of outrageous – and potentially damaging –boasts about her influence over Andrew and her relationship with the Royal Family.

‘It is an appalling breach of trust,’ said a source close to Prince Andrew. ‘His reputation is being put at risk by a woman he still loves and has stood by for many years both emotionally and financially.’

The sting was set up by the News of the World’s Mazher Mahmood – the notorious ‘fake sheik’ whose previous victims have included the Countess of Wessex and Princess Michael of Kent – posing as an international businessman.

The duchess offered to introduce him to the prince, who works as a UK trade envoy, and boasted that Andrew could help with his international business deals.

She was filmed accepting a briefcase containing the $40,000 and boasting: ‘Look after me and he (Andrew) will look after you…….you’ll get it back tenfold. I can open any door you want.’

Last night it was claimed that the duchess had offered to repay the money to the newspaper. But the Labour MP Ian Davidson said: ‘The Inland Revenue should investigate her affairs. Her conduct is absolutely astonishing.’

A friend of Fergie said: ‘There are no excuses and she knows it. She was suspicious about the set up but her desperation took over. Andrew will be apoplectic and she knows she will now have to extricate herself from the house and move elsewhere –although God knows where she will go. She hasn’t a penny to her name.’

There is no evidence to suggest that Andrew was aware of his ex-wife’s shameless attempts to cash in on his name and reputation or that he would ever have abused his position as the UK’s Special Representative for Trade and Investment.

Despite the parlous state of her finances, Fergie has refused to scale back her lavish lifestyle. On Friday, she was pictured drinking wine in the South of France before attending supermodel Naomi Campbell’s 40th birthday party the following day on a yacht.

If she stays, he faces the humiliation of being under the same roof as a woman who has, not for the first time, brought shame on the Royal Family.A Palace spokesman said Andrew ‘categorically denies any knowledge of any meeting’ between the duchess and a reporter from the News of the World.He was said to have spoken briefly on the phone to his ex-wife.And in a statement, Fergie apologised for a ‘serious lapse of judgment’ and admitted her financial situation is ‘under stress’. The Queen was dismayed by the conduct of her former daughter-in-law and the embarrassment it has heaped on her grandchildren Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The first item on the agenda of the talks with Andrew is whether the duchess’s offer to quit Royal Lodge in Windsor should be accepted.’We have been here so many times before with the duchess,’ said one senior royal insider. ‘She’s offered to leave before but she never goes.’
The 50-year-old duchess is also facing a tax investigation after being caught accepting a large cash gift.Prince Charles, long a critic of the former Sarah Ferguson, is appalled by her latest errors of judgment. And, highly unusually, a government minister has publicly criticised the duchess, breaking the convention that controversies relating to the Royal Household should be above party politics.Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone, a Liberal Democrat, said Fergie’s actions appeared ‘shoddy and grubby’. She said: ‘There she is saying “Give me money and I will give you access to Andrew”. It’s really depressing. Lord knows what the Queen thinks.’In her taped indiscretions, the duchess claimed to be living off the trust funds of her daughters which were funded by the late Queen Mother – the last Duchess of York.

Friends of the duchess, who is in LA to receive the Catherine Variety Sheridan Award – presented annually to a person in recognition of his or her philanthropic achievements, primarily with underprivileged and disabled children – admitted she had been ‘stupid and naive’ because of the continuing ‘perilous’ nature of her finances. During the undercover operation, she made a series of outrageous – and potentially damaging –boasts about her influence over Andrew and her relationship with the Royal Family.’It is an appalling breach of trust,’ said a source close to Prince Andrew. ‘His reputation is being put at risk by a woman he still loves and has stood by for many years both emotionally and financially.’The sting was set up by the News of the World’s Mazher Mahmood – the notorious ‘fake sheik’ whose previous victims have included the Countess of Wessex and Princess Michael of Kent – posing as an international businessman.The duchess offered to introduce him to the prince, who works as a UK trade envoy, and boasted that Andrew could help with his international business deals.She was filmed accepting a briefcase containing the $40,000 and boasting: ‘Look after me and he (Andrew) will look after you…….you’ll get it back tenfold. I can open any door you want.’

Last night it was claimed that the duchess had offered to repay the money to the newspaper. But the Labour MP Ian Davidson said: ‘The Inland Revenue should investigate her affairs. Her conduct is absolutely astonishing.’A friend of Fergie said: ‘There are no excuses and she knows it. She was suspicious about the set up but her desperation took over. Andrew will be apoplectic and she knows she will now have to extricate herself from the house and move elsewhere –although God knows where she will go. She hasn’t a penny to her name.’There is no evidence to suggest that Andrew was aware of his ex-wife’s shameless attempts to cash in on his name and reputation or that he would ever have abused his position as the UK’s Special Representative for Trade and Investment.Despite the parlous state of her finances, Fergie has refused to scale back her lavish lifestyle. On Friday, she was pictured drinking wine in the South of France before attending supermodel Naomi Campbell’s 40th birthday party the following day on a yacht.

The Daily Mail

May 25, 2010