Friday 21 March 2014

A Visit



I really enjoyed meeting the new British Ambassador to Turkey, Richard Moore, and his wife Maggie last week.  The total informality of the event was such a breath of fresh air in a country where those in office like to lord it over the rest of us.  I think both Maggie and Richard managed to chat to everyone there and then we settled down to listen to a short talk demystifying what an ambassador actually does, with a follow-up q&a session to clarify the new rules governing foreigners in Turkey. (A post I have been putting off writing for a month and I will continue to procrastinate as the department in charge hasn't decided how to implement the new law yet.)  The message from the British Consulate was a strong "we'll tell you as soon as the Turkish government tells us".  The best way to keep up with the news is the UK in Turkey Facebook page or Twitter, at least it was until last night when our great leader declared to a rally in Bursa that he would eradicate Twitter and he didn't care what the international community thought.  Soon afterward news began filtering through that Twitter was off-line in many parts of the country.  Last week, when asked about the threat to ban Facebook in Turkey,  Richard Moore dismissed the worry saying that it was an impossibility in this day and age.   I wonder if he is quite so optimistic today.






Maggie's guide dog, Star, is already an ambassador  for the canine world,  gaining access to places that a dog in Turkey can only dream about.  I suggested she should "write" her own blog. 



7 comments:

  1. B to B. Oh dear. I so hope it's not true about the Twitter ban but maalesef . . . .You do a fine job of keeping your countrymen up with what's happening with the British Embassy and Consulate. Good luck to Maggie and Richard and as far as I'm concerned, anyone who loves dogs has a mark up in my book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think I have ever seen a guide dog in Turkey before so, an ambassador's wife will be influential in getting them accepted.

      Delete
  2. Turkey has now joined Iran, Syria and North Korea in banning Twitter. It's a select club of enlightened nations. Erdogan makes himself look silly and self-serving. Love the fact that President Gul tweeted his doubts about the ban after it was enforced. The Ambassador is right, I think. The internet is awash with advice on how get round it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a club I would rather not have joined - Hey ho!

      Delete
  3. I am so impressed with the British Ambassador & wife's visit, so civilised and how caring. How I wish for lessons to be learned as to looking after, listening your citizens by some others.. Thanks for keeping us posted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree Ozlem. I wish more Brits had turned up . Whenever there is free beer on offer the room is packed out!

      Delete
  4. Coming to this late, I've of course heard about the Twitter ban and also the ingenious ways Turks are managing to circumvent it. :-)

    ReplyDelete