Aaaah, to be back in Tbilisi. Stepping across the snow at Vilnius airport at 3 pm, and looking at the decaying plum tree flowers, the dying daffodils in my neighbour's garden in Tbilisi the next morning. Going out without a coat into a temperature of 14 degrees C even at 9 pm at night. What could be better than that....
Sunday 30 March 2008
Tuesday 25 March 2008
Tbilisi-Moscow
After about 18 months of embargo, direct flights have resumed between Moscow and Tbilisi.
One part of my mind says, why would any self-respecting Georgian want to fly to Moscow? Terrible, cold, corrupt place.
Reality is, however, that there is much work in Moscow, and those Georgians who already live in Moscow will be glad not to have to fly via Riga or Istanbul any more.
Will this have an impact on Istanbul-Tbilisi flights?
En passant, here in Lithuania I've been looking for Georgian wines - flying the flag and all that. Our government, of a country with a population of less than 3.5 million, 'stepped in ' when Russia started to boycott Georgian wines. Haven't had much success - I've seen some bottles of Georgian wine of varieties I don't know at all. Where are the Saperavis and Tsinandalis, those nice drinkable Georgian wines? I remember getting some in Vilnius just over a year ago....
Tuesday 18 March 2008
Another Triumph for the Forces of Law and Order in Lithuania
This article states how the police in Vilnius charged two neo-nazis for marching in an unsanctioned march on 11 March (if you are still with me). You'll remember my blog of that day which I found my lunchtime nap rudely interrupted by chanting in the street below my house.
They charged 2. Impressive, no? I wonder how they chose them? When they passed my balcony there were about 200 of them, a police van behind them (which made me think it was sanctioned), and when I then skedaddled up the hill to take my photos of the then much diminished crowd, there must have been a good 15 or 20 policemen standing around. Maybe I should have chucked those eggs I had on me. But probably I would have been arrested.....
(The young lady in the picture looks like an innocent passer-by. Thought I ought to mention that). It's a shame I did not take pictures of them marching - would have been happy to help the police!
To misquote Heine 'Denk ich an Litauen in der Nacht, dann bin ich um den Schlaf gebracht' (though in this context the original 'Deutschland' in the place of 'Litauen' unfortunately can also remain, especially in Berlin).
Thursday 13 March 2008
From ecopoiesis to autopoiesis
You might realise that these are not my wurdzz......
Today was the first day of the International Conference on the European Year of International Dialogue, in Vilnius. You'll notice that the acronym EYID (try it as E-YID) is a little unfortunate. Shame.
Attendance was not so great, maybe 100 people in the first half, when no lunch was provided, a lot of people left, including that poor old Lithuanian man who comes to all conferences (has done so since I've been here) I suspect simply for a feed. We rather put him on the spot at ours 7 years ago (I did not know him then), when we went round the table in our seminar, introducing ourselves. Since then I have often seen him thrown out, but he gets full marks for persistence. I see he had a digital camera and shuffled up to take some photos....He's not so good at the walking now.
Anyway. There were a variety of speakers from different European and national organisations, NGOs, you name it...
After the usual opening speeches by the Culture Minister, and two ambassadors of EYID (a curator and a film-maker who said that economy divides people, culture unites - hmmmmm - and that culture was more important than money - he signs my song, but....) we got into the meat of the morning, with a wonderful, enthusiastic talk by Vladimir Sucha, the Slovakian Director for Culture, Communication and Multilingualism at the European Commission. What a job to have!
He had lots of sound bites like 'in earlier days the economy came first and culture last, now it's turning in the opposite direction', what with the ageing workforce and a need for millions of migrant workers in the EU, many of whom may not come from European backgrounds. Another one - 'earlier it was about integration of states, now it is about integration of people'. And that's why the EU now has a cultural agenda, too - yeah! He mentioned that usually it was thought that rational thought was the most important part, but now it is seen that the spiritual (and emotional?) is just as important (imagine the team member who is not a people person....). Apparently 2.6% of EU GDP is produced by culture, which is more than the car industry. How about that for a balance??? The website is www.dialogue2008.eu. Go there.
The Lithuanian UNESCO rep was impressive in that she spoke without notes, but alas, also with not too much enthusiasm (do you notice something here - my music reviewer part is thinking of performance). But this was generally the way of the Lithuanian presentations, even when they were done by former actors. Is it something to do with lack of self confidence? UNESCO, according to her focuses on dialogue between civilisations (and it seems they tried to put together a cadre of commentators who would give well-reasoned comments on events rather than inflammatory ones), also on pure culture (you value mine, I value yours, and do you value your own? - at this stage I wondered about Lithuania and the Uzgavenes festival [carnival], where people dress up as Jews and 'Gypsies'), and on addressing the vexed question of returning artefacts stolen from one nation and displayed in the museums and stately homes of other nations.
The Lithuanian equality ombudsman came next, saying that Lithuania (now 85% Lithuanian, and there are more Poles than Russians among the rest) is not good on tolerance, with people only accepting the mainstream Christian faiths. And as for the Roma population (0.1%), well, they look just so different, and the Lithuanians don't like people who look different. (In the translation the emphases on the words made it sound even worse!). Not sure what's actually being done about it. I wondered if you could complain to her about Uzgavenes....
Gianluca Solera, a Lombardy Italian working for the Ann Lindh foundation in Alexandria (not Scotland, Egypt) startled us all when he greeted everyone with 'Salaam Aleykum'. (It says in the programme that he carries the name of a Sephardic name of the 15th century...). He's an architect, has been an actor, and a Green politician....The Ann Lindh foundation works on dialogue between North and South, especially round the mediterranean, and it creates partnerships between institutions. He wants to get a critical mass going to develop a mass movement in favour of dialogue and understanding between nations. He would like to develop an annual or biennial (two yearly) barometer of feelings about the others among us, and apparently there are small grants available for this. At times he flew up into the ether of cultural theory and I suspect he slightly lost the translators. But the words in the title were not his. This is the foundation website.
Finally before lunch (the lunch break...) a rather interminable talk by Marie-Christine Lorang of the French Culture and Communication ministry about cooperation with Asia and Oceania. She had a written script, which made it hard to divert from if you try to cut time. She reminded us that there are three levels of intercultural dialogue, within a country, between EU states, and between EU members and third countries. In terms of the first she reminded us further of the basic right for people to participate in the social and cultural life of a country (social inclusion, a fantastic French invention, even if it rather spectacularly fails in France from time to time). Then she outlined all the Alliance Francaise centres, the French Cultural Centres (I know the ones in Tbilisi, Istanbul and Vilnius). Every now and again cultural politics comes up against real politics - this year Israel was [supposed to be?] the guest at the French Book Fair, and all Arab states boycotted it. Currently they are dealing with requests for human remains from native Australians and New Zealanders. As she said 'What was politically correct 100 years ago, may no longer be correct today'. Indeed.
Now, if you ever want to know anything about Slovenia and wonder who to ask for a presentation, go, beg, borrow, steal Sonja Kralj Bervar of the Slovenian Ministry of Culture. She is just wonderful. WONDERFUL! What a presenter! What a presentation! The presentation on what Slovenia had done for EYID described their progress from 'Mission Impossible' to 'Mission Possible' to 'Mission Remarkable', with sound effects and everything, and the way she was telling the story - wow! It was like 'Now children, let's sit down and I'll begin'. It was like telling a fairy tale, a surprise round every corner, hushed voice when it needed to be hushed, looking round the room making sure everyone was engaged. We were all hanging on her lips, smiling at her, willing her on. Brilliant, brilliant stuff.
This was followed by the presentation by the Portuguese cultural attache at the embassy. Seems like the Portuguese are doing much useful work here, like supporting the teaching of Portuguese at the University, cultural exchanges and so on. He described the cultural exchange of the spread of the Portuguese language (the ocean of cultures), referred to writers from all over the place - not sure that the conquest of Brazil and other colonial places should strictly speaking be described as a cultural dialogue, though. Some people might have a different understanding.
The Director of Vilnius Capital of Culture 2009 talked about the plans for the project, which has four components, one is the arts events etc, then there is the admin side, the information side and something else. Depressing if arts forms only part of it. I was a bit shocked to hear that the Seimas has changed the focus of the Capital of Culture to 'Vilnius - gateway to Lithuania'. It's seen as creating Lithuania's image since not many people know about Lithuania. The culture should involve everyone and should be a bit of a moving target, akin to Fluxus. Right. I see the LSO and Gergiev will be coming for this - she shot past the cultural slides so fast, I could not take notes. I worry. Boy, I am worried.
Sacha Kagan of the Lueneburg University gave a talk about dance and dialogue. Now he was the one with the words in the title, and much of his talk was at a similar level. The Lithuanian beside me, with fluent English, took my headphones from me, but then reported that the simultaneous translators were totally flummoxed. Basically it is about diversity (cultural, bio, you name it) being connected to sustainability. He suggested that dance, and dancing other people's dances, helps you to get under their skin, and an understanding of how things look through their eyes - kinaesthesia? That's one word he did not use. The sequence of developments then is 'monocultural dance' where you dance your own culture's dance, multicultural dance where groups get together dancing their own dances and others watch, intercultural dance where people learn each other's dances, and transcultural dance (or post-modern dance) where new dance forms emerge from all these dances - 'melting pot' comes to mind. Interesting! Thanks to Giannandrea whoever who gave those wonderful talks at the Edinburgh Festival, I know about post-modern dance.
Tuesday 11 March 2008
Innocents abroad
They'd been all over Europe, this quartet of young, sparkling clean, friendly, noisy Irish lads were telling us, when they arrived for dinner at Sue's Indian Raja tonight. Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear.
We rescued the poor Indian chef who they discussed their choices with for a long time, before settling for chicken tikka masala. Some other Indians in the restaurant were rolling their eyes.
They said they were from Limerick, but then said they had lived in England all their lives. According to their accents, English education had not touched the sides. According to their knowledge of geography.....
'Which is the country with LV on the number plate?' We told them. Seemed that it was not clear to them which country they were in, the one with LT or the one with LV.
'Is Belarus in Europe?' We knew what they meant. If they try to go there, they'll soon bounce back at the border. That's the trouble with Schengen; people don't know which country they are visiting any more.
'Is that country with LV anywhere near Italia (sic)?' We told them.
So when they said 'all over Europe' what exactly did they mean?
Makes you proud.....
This is ..... Lithuania!
This bunch of young ones, well, about twice as many, woke me from my afternoon reverie. I reckon they are neo-Nazis.
There were marching past my house, accompanied by the police, waving Lithuanian flags, waving their arms - hmm, shouting something....Doc Martin and other bootmakers must have done well out of them. Then ended somewhat listlessly outside the Moulin Rouge bar at the top of my hill.
Country to be proud of? For carnival they dress up as Jews and 'Gypsies', the Mayor of Vilnius bans any event remotely homosexual....
Oh boy, oh boy!
Tuesday 4 March 2008
Two favourite Istanbul foods
one slightly eaten - breakfast at Van Kahvavelti Evi, the other one the rice pud - mine without nuts, please....
Sunday 2 March 2008
Bayrampasa!
Bayrampasha is a film written by inmates of the huge Istanbul prison of that name, and mostly set in the prison. It was a social project - guys, the Turks can do this, too! Get them into Europe!
It's a story of a hairdresser, who after a chat with his drug dealing friend, gets arrested and ends up in prison, for two years. His little son (whose dentition does not change during this period) misses him, and dad pretends to be Superman or someone, fighting evil. (I saw this film in Turkish and do not speak it). It's a comedy - with memories of 'La vita e bella'. There's a prison band which occasionally pops up and gives a kind of running commentary. Most parts are played by the prisoners and also the guards, but they could not have a prisoner as the main character, what with some of the scenes due to be filmed outside prison (I know all this because the Turkish Daily News had an article about it yesterday).
What's interesting is the insight it gives into Turkish policing (interrogation methods - hmmm), and also into prison organisation. One would assume that the prisoners would have resisted anything that made the situation unreal.
It would seem that remand prisoners and convicts are kept in the same cells. These are very large cells with sleeping areas and living areas, with tables and chairs. The cell holds about 28 or so prisoners, in bunk beds - the floors between the beds are carpeted, and the prisoners always take off their shoes when walking on the carpet. The prisoners seem to cook for themselves, too (knives??), and endless glasses of tea being served all the time. They have access to an outdoor area where they go for walks. There is some sort of hierarchy in the cells (like in most prisons) - obviously you would wonder about bullying and ganging up on people. In a British prison you would. Whether it is like that here we don't know - though there is a nasty scene when someone hides a dangerous implement under the bed of our hero and he gets punished for it. For all the general bliss and happiness in the cell I did notice that our hero was rather fatter than the real prisoner actors.
It's a lovely film; a lot of pain about separation from families and children must have gone into it - that pops up quite a lot; the final scene is heartbreaking. Definitely worth going to see it if you can; maybe one day it will be available with subtitles. (But really I've told you all you need to know!)
It's a story of a hairdresser, who after a chat with his drug dealing friend, gets arrested and ends up in prison, for two years. His little son (whose dentition does not change during this period) misses him, and dad pretends to be Superman or someone, fighting evil. (I saw this film in Turkish and do not speak it). It's a comedy - with memories of 'La vita e bella'. There's a prison band which occasionally pops up and gives a kind of running commentary. Most parts are played by the prisoners and also the guards, but they could not have a prisoner as the main character, what with some of the scenes due to be filmed outside prison (I know all this because the Turkish Daily News had an article about it yesterday).
What's interesting is the insight it gives into Turkish policing (interrogation methods - hmmm), and also into prison organisation. One would assume that the prisoners would have resisted anything that made the situation unreal.
It would seem that remand prisoners and convicts are kept in the same cells. These are very large cells with sleeping areas and living areas, with tables and chairs. The cell holds about 28 or so prisoners, in bunk beds - the floors between the beds are carpeted, and the prisoners always take off their shoes when walking on the carpet. The prisoners seem to cook for themselves, too (knives??), and endless glasses of tea being served all the time. They have access to an outdoor area where they go for walks. There is some sort of hierarchy in the cells (like in most prisons) - obviously you would wonder about bullying and ganging up on people. In a British prison you would. Whether it is like that here we don't know - though there is a nasty scene when someone hides a dangerous implement under the bed of our hero and he gets punished for it. For all the general bliss and happiness in the cell I did notice that our hero was rather fatter than the real prisoner actors.
It's a lovely film; a lot of pain about separation from families and children must have gone into it - that pops up quite a lot; the final scene is heartbreaking. Definitely worth going to see it if you can; maybe one day it will be available with subtitles. (But really I've told you all you need to know!)
Sunday in Istanbul
Got myself lost well and good running around Istanbul this morning. I meant to go for a long run, but then oriented myself on the wrong set of sky scrapers for my return trip, so it became rather longer - great for training! If a nice young man selling those sesame circles had not pointed me in the right direction, I would still be running - towards the Bosporus.
When to the Galatasaray Hamman in the afternoon, just off the Istiklal Caddesi. The guys in the men's department were as startled as I went I went into their bit by mistake....someone grabbed me by the arm and quickly wheedled me down the road and round the corner...
It's 10 or 12 years since I've been to one (the one next to the Grand Bazaar), and the prices have gone up from 10 USD to about 40 Euros. It was weird - last time I had worn glasses, except I had taken them off for the procedure, and needed to feel my way around the place a lot (stone everywhere; you really don't want to fall, especially if you are soapy). This time I could see without glasses - but still felt as insecure, and behaved, as if I could not see. Strange!
The masseuses' clothing has changed. Last time they were wearing big white bloomers (generally they are big girls); this time it was a pair of little black slips, and as I sat up after one set of soaping I was rather startled to be looking at a big red lipstick mark printed on the pubic hair part of the knickers. But then why shouldn't they have a sex life? Maybe they could share it around a little?
Did not much care for the piped music in the place, though it was suitable Arabic flute (ney) music. I just like it quiet. Generally it was fine, though.
When I went to the changing rooms of a clothes shop shortly afterwards to try on some stuff, I found them very busy, so tried it on outside. Looking in the mirror I found my hair a total mess! Muttered 'Oh God', and found a young Turkish lady with a very tight headscarf laughing at me. Managed to resist my temptation to say that maybe I could do with one of those just now.
Later picked up a film, and went to my favourite restaurant just off the Istiklal Caddesi, round the corner, near a mosque, a place where the homeless hang out and just past a huge building site. The 'Haci Abdullah Lokantasi'? Though the chicken on the chicken and mashed aubergine was rather dry, and the restaurant is dry anyway - no booze there.
So, apart from the run did not leave 'my' neighbourhood at all. It was great!
I see Carpetblog bought some special blankets somewhere in this neighbourhood - yesterday; they are mohair and something. I know she lives round here because the two breakfast places she recommends are almost next door to my hotel; and if I had not caught a brief glimpse of her in Tbilisi, I might have put together 'American' and two breakfast places within waddling distance of each other and come up with a ton weight. But she's not like that. Anyway, the guy who sold them must have been round here, but actually, they smell of sheep - and do I really need that in my flat? No, I don't need blankets either.
When to the Galatasaray Hamman in the afternoon, just off the Istiklal Caddesi. The guys in the men's department were as startled as I went I went into their bit by mistake....someone grabbed me by the arm and quickly wheedled me down the road and round the corner...
It's 10 or 12 years since I've been to one (the one next to the Grand Bazaar), and the prices have gone up from 10 USD to about 40 Euros. It was weird - last time I had worn glasses, except I had taken them off for the procedure, and needed to feel my way around the place a lot (stone everywhere; you really don't want to fall, especially if you are soapy). This time I could see without glasses - but still felt as insecure, and behaved, as if I could not see. Strange!
The masseuses' clothing has changed. Last time they were wearing big white bloomers (generally they are big girls); this time it was a pair of little black slips, and as I sat up after one set of soaping I was rather startled to be looking at a big red lipstick mark printed on the pubic hair part of the knickers. But then why shouldn't they have a sex life? Maybe they could share it around a little?
Did not much care for the piped music in the place, though it was suitable Arabic flute (ney) music. I just like it quiet. Generally it was fine, though.
When I went to the changing rooms of a clothes shop shortly afterwards to try on some stuff, I found them very busy, so tried it on outside. Looking in the mirror I found my hair a total mess! Muttered 'Oh God', and found a young Turkish lady with a very tight headscarf laughing at me. Managed to resist my temptation to say that maybe I could do with one of those just now.
Later picked up a film, and went to my favourite restaurant just off the Istiklal Caddesi, round the corner, near a mosque, a place where the homeless hang out and just past a huge building site. The 'Haci Abdullah Lokantasi'? Though the chicken on the chicken and mashed aubergine was rather dry, and the restaurant is dry anyway - no booze there.
So, apart from the run did not leave 'my' neighbourhood at all. It was great!
I see Carpetblog bought some special blankets somewhere in this neighbourhood - yesterday; they are mohair and something. I know she lives round here because the two breakfast places she recommends are almost next door to my hotel; and if I had not caught a brief glimpse of her in Tbilisi, I might have put together 'American' and two breakfast places within waddling distance of each other and come up with a ton weight. But she's not like that. Anyway, the guy who sold them must have been round here, but actually, they smell of sheep - and do I really need that in my flat? No, I don't need blankets either.
Emergency Rule in Armenia
Another day, another tinpot post-soviet state, another presidential
election, another state of emergency. This time it's Armenia.
Yawn.
On
the viola list we had a debate about the rights of workers in different
countries (typical viola-related topic, no?) - the connection is that
workers in China making those fine cheap instruments have less freedom
- and I had commented that freedom does not put bread on the table. An
American wrote back:
The theory is that free elections give the electorate the opportunity
to choose leaders who share and understand the problems that exist,
including bread and heating among many others, and who seem qualified
to solve those problems. The theory breaks down, of course, when
those elected are unqualified, incapable, or too corrupt to even
recognize the real problems. We've had plenty of experience of that
here in the U.S.!
Glad he added the last sentence .....
Anyway,
Armenia has had a presidential election, the president's favourite won,
the opposition candidate, a former president says he's under house
arrest, people have been demonstrating and rioting, tear gas has been
used, the police has fired something in the air, some people have been
injured.
The BBC says that 'international observers judged the ...poll ....to be generally democratic.
Of course.
election, another state of emergency. This time it's Armenia.
Yawn.
On
the viola list we had a debate about the rights of workers in different
countries (typical viola-related topic, no?) - the connection is that
workers in China making those fine cheap instruments have less freedom
- and I had commented that freedom does not put bread on the table. An
American wrote back:
The theory is that free elections give the electorate the opportunity
to choose leaders who share and understand the problems that exist,
including bread and heating among many others, and who seem qualified
to solve those problems. The theory breaks down, of course, when
those elected are unqualified, incapable, or too corrupt to even
recognize the real problems. We've had plenty of experience of that
here in the U.S.!
Glad he added the last sentence .....
Anyway,
Armenia has had a presidential election, the president's favourite won,
the opposition candidate, a former president says he's under house
arrest, people have been demonstrating and rioting, tear gas has been
used, the police has fired something in the air, some people have been
injured.
The BBC says that 'international observers judged the ...poll ....to be generally democratic.
Of course.
Saturday 1 March 2008
Istanbul...
Bit annoying - I had posted this already but Scribefire managed to lose it somehow.
Tried out the Van Kahvalti Evi cafe in Cihangir, on the road down from the German hospital (nearer the Italian hospital, but on the opposite side of, and further up on the road from that). Carpetblog had recommended it. It's run by people from Van, a former Armenian enclave in the distant mountains of the East, now full of refugees from Iran and such like. She praises it for its fresh food and Turkish breakfast.
And a wonderful breakfast it is, too - will post a photo when I get to have all the required bits and connections in one place. With egg, tomatoes, cucumber, lots of different kinds of white cheese, tsatsiki (cacik in Turkish), bread, honey complete with honey comb, some other kinds of brown spread (sesame???). Wonderful stuff. Apparently the cafe next to my hotel, the Kahvedan, does a good English/Scottish/American fry up. Would they do porridge? When I arrived in Istanbul, the first place was open, the second place wasn't. Decision was made.
After that I went off to the German bookshop to get some specific stuff. Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear. Do they use the alphabet, I ask myself? Certainly the books use it to get their contents in the right order, so words can be formed. As for the bookshop...there are lots of old books (second-hand), new old books (they were new when they were delivered, a long time ago, and are now dirty)...and I don't think they have any new or current books. Anyway, the Robinson Crusoe English language bookshop just up the road in Istiklal Caddesi rescued me from total lack of books.
Between my concerts had a slim lunch at the cafe/bookshop opposite the German hospital where the nice waitresses recognised me after my last stay here in November. Impressive, no? At the time I had had my eye op a few hours earlier and quite looked the part, no doubt.
Meant to go to the pictures to see a film made by prisoners (Bayrampasa), but blaming jet lag (two hours) might just stay in. The film is well described, though.
Tried out the Van Kahvalti Evi cafe in Cihangir, on the road down from the German hospital (nearer the Italian hospital, but on the opposite side of, and further up on the road from that). Carpetblog had recommended it. It's run by people from Van, a former Armenian enclave in the distant mountains of the East, now full of refugees from Iran and such like. She praises it for its fresh food and Turkish breakfast.
And a wonderful breakfast it is, too - will post a photo when I get to have all the required bits and connections in one place. With egg, tomatoes, cucumber, lots of different kinds of white cheese, tsatsiki (cacik in Turkish), bread, honey complete with honey comb, some other kinds of brown spread (sesame???). Wonderful stuff. Apparently the cafe next to my hotel, the Kahvedan, does a good English/Scottish/American fry up. Would they do porridge? When I arrived in Istanbul, the first place was open, the second place wasn't. Decision was made.
After that I went off to the German bookshop to get some specific stuff. Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear. Do they use the alphabet, I ask myself? Certainly the books use it to get their contents in the right order, so words can be formed. As for the bookshop...there are lots of old books (second-hand), new old books (they were new when they were delivered, a long time ago, and are now dirty)...and I don't think they have any new or current books. Anyway, the Robinson Crusoe English language bookshop just up the road in Istiklal Caddesi rescued me from total lack of books.
Between my concerts had a slim lunch at the cafe/bookshop opposite the German hospital where the nice waitresses recognised me after my last stay here in November. Impressive, no? At the time I had had my eye op a few hours earlier and quite looked the part, no doubt.
Meant to go to the pictures to see a film made by prisoners (Bayrampasa), but blaming jet lag (two hours) might just stay in. The film is well described, though.
Georgian stand-off
Abkhazia, the trying to be independent region of Georgia (a la Kosovo) is a bit of a blind spot for our Misha Saakashvili. He wants it back, and he wants it back now!
It was one of his election platforms to say that we (including the IDPs) would be returning there, with him in front. Insults have been traded for years over this. I would say, let it go, but the IDPs who lost property there after the events of about 1994 clearly don't see it that way.
Now a Georgian journalist, one Basalaia, is held there, for some reason. A UN person has visited him. Saakashvili has said something like 'we will go in there and get him out'. Needless to say, the Abkhaz folk did not appreciate this gentle statement, so now they are holding on to him even hard.
If only people could react less emotionally, and sit down and think. But sometimes Misha is not good at 'not emotional'. As some others are not, either.....
It was one of his election platforms to say that we (including the IDPs) would be returning there, with him in front. Insults have been traded for years over this. I would say, let it go, but the IDPs who lost property there after the events of about 1994 clearly don't see it that way.
Now a Georgian journalist, one Basalaia, is held there, for some reason. A UN person has visited him. Saakashvili has said something like 'we will go in there and get him out'. Needless to say, the Abkhaz folk did not appreciate this gentle statement, so now they are holding on to him even hard.
If only people could react less emotionally, and sit down and think. But sometimes Misha is not good at 'not emotional'. As some others are not, either.....
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