http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20101129/tuk-number-10-condemns-wikileaks-publica-dba1618.html

Downing Street has condemned the publication of leaked US diplomatic cables thought to feature embarrassing criticism of David Cameron, the Duke of York and the British military.

Washington was at the centre of an international storm after newspapers began publishing details from more than 250,000 secret embassy messages obtained by the WikiLeaks website.

The cables shed light on American dealings with governments around the world and show that Arab leaders have repeatedly urged the US to take military action against Iran.

The spotlight is set to be thrown on UK-US relations over the coming days with further disclosures expected to contain criticism of the Prime Minister and the Duke of York. UK military operations in Afghanistan are also said to be a target.

The Prime Minister's spokesman condemned the publication of the leaks by newspapers, including The Guardian, on the grounds that they could damage British and American national security.

"Clearly we condemn the unauthorised release of classified information," he said.

"The leaks and their publication are damaging to national security in the United States and in Britain, and elsewhere. It's important that governments are able to operate on the basis of confidentiality of information."

The Guardian said it would be publishing details later in the week including allegations of "inappropriate behaviour" by a member of the Royal Family which was said to have "startled" US diplomats.

There was no immediate response from Buckingham Palace to a report in the Daily Mail that the member of the Royal Family involved in allegations of "inappropriate behaviour" was the Duke of York.

The most striking of the initial disclosures is that Arab leaders have been privately urging the US to take military action to halt Iran's nuclear programme before it is too late.

The King of Bahrain was quoted as telling US diplomats that Tehran's nuclear drive "must be stopped". In another cable, he was said to have warned: "The danger of letting it go on is greater than the danger of stopping it".

He was reported to have been backed by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia who was said to have repeatedly urged Washington to "cut off the head of the snake" while there was still time.

The cables were also said to include "harsh" criticism by US embassy staff of their host governments, including Russia and China, and unflattering pen portraits of world leaders.

The White House has directed government agencies to tighten procedures for handling classified information following the mass leak.

The new procedures would ensure "that users do not have broader access than is necessary to do their jobs effectively, as well as implementation of restrictions on usage of, and removal media capabilities from, classified government directives".