The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) has abandoned proposed talks with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). This follows the misreading of a letter sent by the president of CIMA, Mr Peter Layhe, to the president of ACCA, Mr Michael Foulds. That letter offered talks on a restructuring of the accountancy profession but not on the proposed merger initiated by ACCA. The proposal is resisted by the council of CIMA. The ACCA implied that the letter was offering talks on the merger.

Mr Layhe has now written another letter to Mr Foulds. He begins: "I am surprised and disappointed that in your letter of 13th August you continue to misunderstand the attitude of CIMA members to your proposals." Noting that 32 of its members had responded to a CIMA survey with 85 per cent voting against the proposal, he said it was against this background that he offered ACCA the opportunity to move the debate forward by opening discussions on the general issues surrounding the future structures of the profession.

"In insisting that we discuss a proposal already rejected by CIMA members, you clearly demonstrate your unwillingness to participate in that debate on any terms other than your own," Mr Layhe said. In the circumstances, he added, "I see no useful purpose in continuing this correspondence."

The ACCA yesterday circulated a special members bulletin which is mainly on the proposed merger.