As Caymanian Premier McKeeva Bush insisted last night that his open letter to Premier Paula Cox was justified, Bermuda’s two main political parties would not be drawn into the row between the two leaders.Both the ruling Progressive Labour Party and the Opposition One Bermuda Alliance issued statements in response to requests for comment by this newspaper but declined to answer specific questions about Mr Bush’s letter.“Citizens everywhere are looking to their leaders for answers. They have a right to expect them to attack the problems, not each other,” said OBA Leader Craig Cannonier in a written statement.“As Bermudians, we stand behind those we’ve trusted to lead the Island. And whatever differences Bermuda may have with our neighbours, we expect our Premier to be treated with the respect the office deserves … as our neighbours should expect to be treated by us.“The war of words between Bermuda and Cayman needs to end. Yes, Cayman and Bermuda are business competitors, but we don’t need to be antagonists.”Mr Cannonier added that the country needed to “focus on what counts” — economic recovery, employment and public safety.But the party declined to comment further when asked a series of additional questions including whether the statement meant that the OBA was standing behind the Premier in the spat with Mr Bush.“We’re not in the business of tearing down our Premier on the world stage,” said a party spokesman.The PLP’s statement offered that Bermuda is “open for business even during these difficult times for the global economy.”And it touted programmes like FutureCare, and DayCare as examples of “strengthening our safety net for our people”.“We are keeping Bermuda competitive in the global environment and standing strong for Bermudians at the same time,” said a party spokesman.There was no response to specific questions about Mr Bush’s letter.For his part, Mr Bush indicated that he was well within his rights to send an open letter to the Premier through this newspaper when contacted yesterday afternoon.“How many times did your newspaper carry stories with attacks on myself from that woman,” Mr Bush said.“You have carried stories about myself from the Premier of Bermuda about myself and not once have I replied.”He said: “In Cayman, people send an open letter to the Premier through the newspaper. Your newspaper carried several articles with Paula Cox and I have responded through your newspaper.”Mr Bush is the subject of a corruption investigation in his country. He hung up when asked whether he was confident that he would be exonerated.Mr Bush’s letter, which was printed in full in yesterday’s edition of The Royal Gazette, demands an end to what he calls Ms Cox’s “antagonistic” behaviour toward him.“My advice is you should stop attacking me and use your energy to move the good Islands of Bermuda forward,” he said.Last week Ms Cox told this newspaper that Mr Bush had been making disparaging remarks about rival jurisdictions to cover up problems in his own country.Mr Bush has in recent months made some bold statements about Cayman’s ambitions to take business away from Bermuda.In February he boasted that his country could end Bermuda’s lead in the insurance market.“In the mid Atlantic they say they ‘may’ reduce some fees; we have reduced fees. They are still talking about their immigration policy and make long statements, but I say this boldly — while Bermuda has been the champion, be assured that we can grow.“We here can do it without the malice, without the inhibitions of race, without the inhibitions of transport.”Kim Swan, the interim leader of the United Bermuda Party, said he found the spat “ironic and disturbing” and called on the respective Governors to broker talks between the two territories.