( CNN ) -- Among the thousands of diplomatic documents obtained by WikiLeaks , there is talk of Iranian missiles , German politicians and a myriad of other issues , including one cable about a British prince -- and his views on geography teachers , the French , journalists and Russian influence in central Asia . Back in 2008 , the U.S. ambassador in the central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan , Tatiana Gfoeller , was invited to lunch with Prince Andrew , Duke of York , who was in the country to promote British interests . After the encounter , she observed in a cable : `` Astonishingly candid , the discussion at times verged on the rude ( from the British side ) . '' When the conversation turned to the problem of corruption , one businessman said that working in Kyrgyzstan was `` like doing business in the Yukon '' in the 19th century , `` i.e . only those willing to participate in local corrupt practices are able to make any money . '' `` At this point the Duke of York laughed uproariously , saying that : 'All of this sounds exactly like France . ' '' At another point , according to Ambassador Gfoeller , `` the prince mused that outsiders could do little to change the culture of corruption here . 'They themselves have to have a change of heart . Just like you have to cure yourself of anorexia . No one else can do it for you . ' '' Referring to his coming meeting with the Kyrgyz prime minister , Prince Andrew seemed exasperated . `` With a mock groan , the Duke of York then exclaimed : 'My God , what am I supposed to tell these people ? ! ' '' The prince also addressed Russian influence in central Asia , stating that `` the United Kingdom , Western Europe ( and by extension you Americans , too ) were now back in the thick of playing the Great Game . More animated than ever , he stated cockily : 'And this time we aim to win ! ' `` `` The Great Game '' originally referred to the 19th century struggle between Britain and Russia for control of central Asia . The cable continued that Prince Andrew indicated he had little patience for the media interfering in the negotiation of business deals , condemning `` these ( expletive ) journalists , especially from the National Guardian , who poke their noses everywhere . '' According to the ambassador 's account , the prince also `` railed at British anti-corruption investigators , who had had the 'idiocy ' of almost scuttling the Al-Yamama deal with Saudi Arabia . '' That deal was a multibillion-dollar defense contract between BAE Systems and the Saudi government that became the target of a U.K. Serious Fraud Office corruption inquiry . ) Warming to her theme , Ambassador Gfoeller continues : `` He then capped this off with a zinger : castigating 'our stupid ( sic ) British and American governments which plan at best for 10 years whereas people in this part of the world plan for centuries . ' '' But she saves perhaps the best for last , referring to Prince Andrew 's `` unmitigated patriotic fervor . '' One British guest at the lunch had noted that despite the might of the American economy , British investment in Kyrgyzstan was of a similar magnitude . `` Snapped the Duke : 'No surprise there . The Americans do n't understand geography . Never have . In the U.K. , we have the best geography teachers in the world ! ' ''
The U.S. ambassador to Kyrgyzstan had lunch with Prince Andrew in 2008 . Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: He joked that the corruption in Kyrgyzstan reminded him of France , she wrote .