Bertie Ahern did not steer clear of the guards and army during his visit to Nicosia, Cyprus, despite a very unfortunate experience some years ago by an Irish Government minister. The Hibernia Club was the scene of a celebrated incident during a visit by Sean Barrett, Minister for Defence in an earlier government. A guard approached Barrett in the club and complained about the allowances being given to men serving on the island. The guard went on to suggest that if a Fianna Fail government was in office the problem would be sorted out quickly. The Minister took umbrage and complained to the Garda Commissioner. The Commissioner subsequently took to the High Court to establish his right to move Garda personnel, whether in Cyprus or elsewhere.
Not in the least put off, Bertie met the Irish peacekeepers this week and was much better received. He was presented by a painting of Kyrenia (the Turkish sector). Then he and Celia Larkin were taken on a tour of the buffer zone (33,000 Turkish troops on one side, 30,000 Greeks on the other, 20 gardai and five Irish Army personnel in between).