LETTERS Offending the French
Sir: Your diarist, Max Hastings (9 Novem- ber), is not only out of date, but also historically offensive to the French if he attributes to them today 'a spirit of Vichy'. Mr Hastings is obviously unaware of the tragically deep emotions which that phrase can evoke. In fact, what does he actually mean by it, unless it is just another high-soundingly snide remark about the French, which are alas, in some quarters, so popular?
Mr Hastings adds insult to injury by stating dogmatically that 'the nastiness of the French has never been in doubt'! He endeavours to sustain this by his report of his conversations with 'several French- men'. He must have a very different set of contacts from mine, as most of the French- men to whom I have spoken recently (and they are numerous), whilst remaining fiercely resistant to the meddlesomeness of Greenpeace do not declare the bungled adventure by their secret service to be anything but a disgrace to France. On this topic why has Mr Hastings dragged in Portsmouth Harbour — it is a long way from the proposed Channel link?
I have good news for Mr Hastings, however. I am reliably informed that mod- ern technology can equally well build him a wall in the middle of the Channel.
James Hadley
Director, Franco-British Council, 2 Clarendon Close, London W2
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