The article was critical of islanders' behaviour during the Occupation

Senator Frank Walker had asked for an apology after an article by A A Gill.

The paper's letters editor, Parin Janmohamed, says the article reflected A A Gill's self-confessed "small-minded prejudice" and in no way represents the view of The Sunday Times.

A copy of the letter has been passed to A A Gill and the Culture editor.

It might be going some to call it an apology Senator Frank Walker

But Senator Walker, who had asked writer AA Gill to apologise for and withdraw his remarks about islanders' behaviour during the German occupation, says he is not exactly overwhelmed by the Sunday Times' response.

He said: "It might be going some to call it an apology, it was more of an acknowledgement."

Mr Walker has already replied to the Sunday Times, saying he was surprised his letter and that of the Guernsey's chief minister, Deputy Laurie Morgan, had not been published.

He points out that the letters had been written on behalf of the governments of Jersey and Guernsey and reflected the deep sense of outrage that Mr Gill's column had provoked.

Mr Walker also said it was not good editorial policy for a newspaper of the standing of the Sunday Times to ignore the comments of the governments of the Channel Islands and the views of so many islanders.

The comments in the paper follow a television programme about life in the Channel Islands during World War II.

Gill, said islanders "lay on their backs and made moaning noises" when the Germans arrived.

According to Mr Gill, Island at War was actually filmed in the Isle of Man, "because the Channel Islanders have some weird rule about acting in public or that nobody outside the Bailiwick is allowed to own a camera."

The writer claimed that all the Channel Islands have given to the rest of the world is expensive potatoes, a few flowers and fatty milk.