As the hot summer season draws to
an end, the level of activity in diplomatic circles in
Ankara has been rising, indicating that a busy period is
in store. Numerous new diplomats have now arrived in the
Turkish capital, replacing those who have departed for
new assignments. Many of the newcomers bring with them a
wealth of experience, and there is no doubt that they
will enjoy a good posting and make valuable
contributions to diplomatic relations.
There could be no more concrete
example than Pakistani Ambassador Syed Iftikhar Hussain
Shah, who is interviewed in this edition of DIPLOMAT.
Ambassador Hussain Shah, who arrived in Ankara just four
months ago, discusses his country's relations with
Turkey and makes clear the position of Pakistan with
respect to all the important issues in the region.
Another guest of DIPLOMAT this
September is Ambassador Amin Rianom of Indonesia, envoy
of an even more populous country from a more distant
part of Asia. Indonesia is celebrating the sixtieth
anniversary of its foundation this year, but the
highly-experienced ambassador looks more forward than
backward as he touches on a wide range of subjects from
the tsunami disaster to terrorism, and from the
activities of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference
to reform within the UN.
Most foreigners on duty in Turkey
will have visited Cappadocia, just 2-3 hours away from
Ankara. The region is, of course, a natural conservation
area, most famous for its extraordinary landscapes,
which resemble something from another planet. At the
same time, It offers a variety of man-made treasures.
Houses and churches carved into the rocks, cities built
under the ground and strange rocks known as "fairy
chimneys" are all an instant hit with visitors, In
September, an "International Local Authorities Peace
Conference" will be held in Nevþehir, the region's
largest city. While reporting on preparations for the
conference, we also take the opportunity to tour the
region, which is one of Turkey's official UNESCO World
Heritage sites.
The arts pages of DIPLOMAT focus on
the collection of sous-verre painting from all around
the world put together by Neveser Aksoy, a Turkish
painter living in Paris. Works from the collection will
be exhibited in the Pera Museum, Istanbul, in October,
alongside the collections of Suna and Inan Kirac,.
Why not escape to Istanbul before
winter sets in, both to see this exhibition and to spend
a few joyous hours in one of the restaurants on the
shores of the Bosphorus?
