Cooks agree `amicable' settlement

London - The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, and his estranged wife, Margaret, have come to an "amicable settlement…

London - The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, and his estranged wife, Margaret, have come to an "amicable settlement" over the terms of their divorce and proceedings will start soon, they said in a joint statement yesterday.

Earlier, Mr Cook appeared to be trying to turn the tables on his former diary secretary, accusing her of being "impossible to work with" rather than the victim of a plot to install his new partner, Ms Gaynor Regan, in her job.

Mr Cook was spurred into commenting on the dispute after claims that Ms Anne Bullen believed she was removed last May to make way for Ms Regan.

Mr Cook also rejected an allegation that he had kept the late Princess of Wales waiting for 20 minutes when she went to see him to discuss her landmines campaign.