Source: WikiLeaks
----
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08STATE79112 2008-07-23 15:03 2010-11-28 18:06 SECRET Secretary of State
O 231500Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ASTANA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BISHKEK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T STATE 079112
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2033
TAGS: MNUC PARM PREL AF CH KG KZ TI TX UZ
SUBJECT: (S) FLIGHT OF PROLIFERATION CONCERN BETWEEN DPRK
AND IRAN
REF: ASTANA 1286
Classified By: ISN Acting DAS Kenneth W. Staley,
Reasons 1.4 (b), (c), and (d)
THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. SEE PARA 2.
¶1. (S) Posts are requested to approach appropriate-level host
nation officials regarding a planned North Korean flight to
Iran of proliferation concern and encourage them to deny
overflight for the aircraft or require that it land and be
subjected to inspection before proceeding. Posts may draw
from background, objectives, and talking points/non-paper
below as appropriate.
----------
OBJECTIVES
----------
¶2. (S//REL AFGHANISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN,
TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN): Posts should encourage host
governments, as partner nations in the Proliferation Security
Initiative (PSI) and consistent with their obligations under
UNSCRs 1718, 1737, and 1747, to deny overflight or to insist
that the aircraft land for inspection before proceeding.
¶3. (S//REL CHINA) Embassy Beijing should encourage China,
consistent with its obligations under UNSCRs 1718, 1737, and
1747, to deny overflight or to insist that the aircraft land
for inspection before proceeding.
¶4. (S//REL KAZAKHSTAN) Our information currently does not
indicate a North Korean intent to overfly Kazakhstan,
suggesting that GOK, per REFTEL, has denied the DPRK,s
request. Embassy Astana is requested to express appreciation
for GOK,s proactively notifying us of the DPRK overflight
request and urge them to deny any such request if they have
not already done so. Post may share the below non-paper with
GOK, as appropriate.
----------
BACKGROUND
----------
¶5. (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) The USG has received
information that a flight of proliferation concern between
North Korea and Iran is scheduled to occur in late July.
¶6. (S//REL AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, TAJIKISTAN) Our
information does not currently indicate a North Korean intent
to route the flight over Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, or
Tajikistan. We are, however, providing them this information
in the spirit of our cooperation under PSI, and to ask them
to deny overflight or inspect the aircraft in the event the
North Koreans re-route the flight.
¶7. (S) Embassies should note that bullet #1 is for Beijing
only, bullet #2 is for all recipients except Beijing, and
bullet #3 is for Astana, Kabul, and Dushanbe only. The rest
of the non-paper is for all recipients.
------------------------
TALKING POINTS/NON-PAPER
------------------------
¶8. (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) Begin talking
points/non-paper:
-- (S//REL CHINA) We would like to raise with you a North
Korean flight of proliferation concern that may request
overflight of your territory as it transits to and from Iran.
-- (S//REL AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN,
TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) In the spirit of our cooperation
under the Proliferation Security Initiative, we would like to
raise with you a North Korean flight of proliferation concern
that may request overflight of your territory as it transits
to and from Iran.
-- (S//REL AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, TAJIKISTAN) While our
current information indicates that this flight will not cross
your territory, we are providing it to you in the spirit of
our cooperation as PSI partners and in the event that the
flight,s schedule is changed and you do receive a North
Korean overflight request.
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) We are concerned that
this chartered, round-trip passenger flight may be carrying
DPRK personnel involved in ongoing cooperation with Iran on
ballistic missiles.
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) As you know, the
transfer by North Korea of WMD components or delivery
systems, certain military goods, and related materials
including spare parts, is prohibited by UNSCR 1718. UNSCR
1718 also prohibits transfers from or to North Korea of
technical training, advice, services or assistance related to
WMD, their delivery systems, and certain conventional arms.
Iran is prohibited from obtaining WMD, delivery systems,
related components, and related technical assistance and
training under UNSCRs 1737 and 1747.
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) We therefore request
that overflight permission be denied or made contingent on
inspection of the aircraft to ensure that any cargo or
passengers it carries are not arriving in Iran in violation
of UNSCR 1718, 1737, 1747 or other UN resolutions.
Alternately, if this aircraft requests a fueling stop in your
country, we request that you grant this permission and
promptly search the aircraft upon its arrival for evidence of
prohibited items or activities.
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) Information about the
flights are as follows. The outbound flight from the DPRK is
expected on or about July 31, 2008. The aircraft is a North
Korean-registered Il-62, flight JS-621, scheduled to depart
Pyongyang on 28 July at 0001Z and land in Tehran at 0940Z.
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) From North Korea, the
flight is scheduled to pass into Chinese airspace at or about
0025Z and leave Chinese airspace for Kyrgyzstan at 0600Z.
From there, the flight is scheduled to pass over Uzbekistan
and Turkmenistan and arrive in Iranian airspace at or around
0825Z.
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) The return flight,
JS-622, is scheduled to depart Tehran on 31 July at 1330Z and
arrive at Pyongyang at 2220Z.
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) From Iran, the flight
is scheduled to pass into Turkmenistan airspace on or about
1440Z and pass over Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, entering
Chinese airspace from Kyrgyzstan at 1655Z. From there the
flight is scheduled to re-enter North Korean airspace on or
around 2200Z.
END POINTS.
-----------------------------
REPORTING REQUIREMENT AND POC
-----------------------------
¶6. (U) Please report delivery of demarche and any immediate
response by July 24.
¶7. (U) Washington point of contact for follow-up information
is Tom Zarzecki, (202) 647-7594, zarzeckitw@state.sgov.gov.
Please slug all responses for EAP, NEA, ISN, SCA, and T.
Washington appreciates Posts, assistance.
RICE
NNNN
End Cable Text
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Spreading WikiLeaks: Leak Related to the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan (Part 2)
This is the second leak related to the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, which became available on the WikiLeaks.
----
VZCZCXRO1478
OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHEK #0135/01 0441151
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 131151Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1794
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2870
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0711
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0094
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0183
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1217
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3257
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2643
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000135
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: CHINESE AMBASSADOR FLUSTERED BY KYRGYZ ALLEGATIONS
OF MONEY FOR CLOSING MANAS
REF: A. BISHKEK 96
¶B. BISHKEK 85
BISHKEK 00000135 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
¶1. (C) Summary: During a meeting with the Ambassador
February 13, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yannian ridiculed the
idea, but did not deny categorically, that China would
provide Kyrgyzstan a $3 billion financial package in return
for closing Manas Air Base. Zhang said Kyrgyzstan was in
Russia's sphere of influence, and China had only commercial
interests here. He also complained bitterly about Chinese
Guantanamo detainees being shipped to Germany instead of
China. Zhang was very interested in whether the U.S. would
negotiate to keep Manas, and he advised just giving the
Kyrgyz $150 million a year for the Base. "This is all about
money," he said. End Summary.
LOSING THE ABILITY TO SPEAK RUSSIAN
¶2. (C) Ambassador met February 13 with Chinese Ambassador to
Kyrgyzstan Zhang Yannian. After opening pleasantries, the
Ambassador mentioned that Kyrgyz officials had told her that
China had offered a $3 billion financial package to close
Manas Air Base and asked for the Ambassador's reaction to
such an allegation. Visibly flustered, Zhang temporarily
lost the ability to speak Russian and began spluttering in
Chinese to the silent aide diligently taking notes right
behind him. Once he had recovered the power of Russian
speech, he inveighed against such a calumny, claiming that
such an idea was impossible, China was a staunch opponent of
terrorism, and China's attitude toward Kyrgyzstan's decision
to close Manas was one of "respect and understanding."
¶3. (C) Composing himself, Zhang inquired if maybe the Kyrgyz
had meant the trade turnover between the two countries, which
he claimed was about $3 billion a year. When disabused of
that notion, Zhang went on at length to explain that China
could not afford a $3 billion loan and aid package. "It
would take $3 from every Chinese person" to pay for it. "If
our people found out, there'd be a revolution," he said. "We
have 200 million people unemployed" because of the downturn
in exports, he said, and millions of disabled and others who
need help from the government.
A SLAP IN THE FACE
¶4. (C) When the Ambassador asked whether he would
categorically deny what the Kyrgyz officials had told her
about a deal with China, Zhang snapped that "releasing 17
from Guantanamo is an unfriendly act toward us." He then
went on at length about what a "slap in the face" it was to
China that the Uighur detainees were not going to be returned
to their homeland but instead shipped to Germany, where
reportedly they had already been granted refugee status.
While not stating a tit-for-tat reaction on Manas, he did
imply that the Guantanamo situation had made China look for
ways to hit back at the U.S. When the Ambassador inquired if
maybe the Chinese were favorably disposed toward closing
Manas because of their SCO membership, Zhang acknowledged
that the SCO had pronounced for closing Manas, but claimed
that "that was years ago and nothing has happened since." He
denied that the SCO was pressuring the Kyrgyz to close Manas.
RUSSIA: A GIFT FROM GOD FOR THE KYRGYZ
¶5. (C) The Ambassador then asked what Zhang thought about the
$2 billion plus Russian deal with Kyrgyzstan. After some
hemming and hawing, Zhang said it was "probably true" that
BISHKEK 00000135 002.2 OF 002
the Russian assistance was tied to closing Manas. Asked if
he had any concerns about the Kyrgyz Republic falling ever
deeper into the Russian sphere of influence and whether China
had any interest in countering this, he answered that
Kyrgyzstan was already in that sphere, and China had no
interest in balancing that influence. "Kyrgyzstan is
Russia's neighbor," he intoned (somewhat expansively, since
Kyrgyzstan does not share a border with the Russian
Federation -- though it does share a border with China).
"And when the Kyrgyz ask me about this, I always tell them
that a neighbor is a gift from God." As for China's
interests in the Kyrgyz Republic, he stated flatly: "We have
only commercial interests here. We want to increase
investment and trade. We have no interest in politics." He
claimed that some Kyrgyz had argued for China to open a base
in Kyrgyzstan to counterbalance Russian and American
influence in the country, but China has no interest in a
base. "We want no military or political advantage.
Therefore, we wouldn't pay $3 billion for Manas," he argued.
PERSONAL ADVICE: PAY THEM $150 MILLION
¶6. (C) Zhang asked the Ambassador whether the U.S. would
negotiate to keep the Base open. The Ambassador answered
that the U.S. side was evaluating its options. Zhang then
offered his "personal advice," "This is all about money," he
said. He understood from the Kyrgyz that they needed $150
million. The Ambassador explained that the U.S. does provide
$150 million in assistance to Kyrgyzstan each year, including
numerous assistance programs. Zhang suggested that the U.S.
should scrap its assistance programs. "Just give them $150
million in cash" per year, and "you will have the Base
forever." Very uncharacteristically, the silent young aide
then jumped in: "Or maybe you should give them $5 billion and
buy both us and the Russians out." The aide then withered
under the Ambassador's horrified stare.
¶7. (C) Commenting on the recent diplomatic corps lunch (Ref
B), Zhang noted that Russian Ambassador Vlasov had been in an
expansive mood and dominated portions of the meeting. "I
think that's when he found out that they'd reached a deal"
with Bakiyev to close the Base, he opined. Zhang, who is
doyen of the diplomatic corps, said he would be leaving
Bishkek soon, but did not yet know his next assignment. "In
our service," he said, "we don't know our postings until the
last minute."
Comment
-------
¶8. (C) Zhang was clearly flustered when confronted with the
claims of Kyrgyz officials that they were negotiating a
financial deal with China in return for closing the Base.
While he ridiculed the notion of such a deal, he did not deny
it outright. Perhaps because of his being discomposed, he
returned several times to the topic of a possible revolution
in China if the economic picture does not improve and work is
not found for the millions of unemployed there. In our
experience, talk of revolution at home is taboo for Chinese
diplomats. While candid at times, the meeting ended on a
very cordial note.
GFOELLER
----
VZCZCXRO1478
OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHEK #0135/01 0441151
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 131151Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1794
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2870
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0711
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0094
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0183
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1217
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3257
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2643
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000135
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: CHINESE AMBASSADOR FLUSTERED BY KYRGYZ ALLEGATIONS
OF MONEY FOR CLOSING MANAS
REF: A. BISHKEK 96
¶B. BISHKEK 85
BISHKEK 00000135 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
¶1. (C) Summary: During a meeting with the Ambassador
February 13, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yannian ridiculed the
idea, but did not deny categorically, that China would
provide Kyrgyzstan a $3 billion financial package in return
for closing Manas Air Base. Zhang said Kyrgyzstan was in
Russia's sphere of influence, and China had only commercial
interests here. He also complained bitterly about Chinese
Guantanamo detainees being shipped to Germany instead of
China. Zhang was very interested in whether the U.S. would
negotiate to keep Manas, and he advised just giving the
Kyrgyz $150 million a year for the Base. "This is all about
money," he said. End Summary.
LOSING THE ABILITY TO SPEAK RUSSIAN
¶2. (C) Ambassador met February 13 with Chinese Ambassador to
Kyrgyzstan Zhang Yannian. After opening pleasantries, the
Ambassador mentioned that Kyrgyz officials had told her that
China had offered a $3 billion financial package to close
Manas Air Base and asked for the Ambassador's reaction to
such an allegation. Visibly flustered, Zhang temporarily
lost the ability to speak Russian and began spluttering in
Chinese to the silent aide diligently taking notes right
behind him. Once he had recovered the power of Russian
speech, he inveighed against such a calumny, claiming that
such an idea was impossible, China was a staunch opponent of
terrorism, and China's attitude toward Kyrgyzstan's decision
to close Manas was one of "respect and understanding."
¶3. (C) Composing himself, Zhang inquired if maybe the Kyrgyz
had meant the trade turnover between the two countries, which
he claimed was about $3 billion a year. When disabused of
that notion, Zhang went on at length to explain that China
could not afford a $3 billion loan and aid package. "It
would take $3 from every Chinese person" to pay for it. "If
our people found out, there'd be a revolution," he said. "We
have 200 million people unemployed" because of the downturn
in exports, he said, and millions of disabled and others who
need help from the government.
A SLAP IN THE FACE
¶4. (C) When the Ambassador asked whether he would
categorically deny what the Kyrgyz officials had told her
about a deal with China, Zhang snapped that "releasing 17
from Guantanamo is an unfriendly act toward us." He then
went on at length about what a "slap in the face" it was to
China that the Uighur detainees were not going to be returned
to their homeland but instead shipped to Germany, where
reportedly they had already been granted refugee status.
While not stating a tit-for-tat reaction on Manas, he did
imply that the Guantanamo situation had made China look for
ways to hit back at the U.S. When the Ambassador inquired if
maybe the Chinese were favorably disposed toward closing
Manas because of their SCO membership, Zhang acknowledged
that the SCO had pronounced for closing Manas, but claimed
that "that was years ago and nothing has happened since." He
denied that the SCO was pressuring the Kyrgyz to close Manas.
RUSSIA: A GIFT FROM GOD FOR THE KYRGYZ
¶5. (C) The Ambassador then asked what Zhang thought about the
$2 billion plus Russian deal with Kyrgyzstan. After some
hemming and hawing, Zhang said it was "probably true" that
BISHKEK 00000135 002.2 OF 002
the Russian assistance was tied to closing Manas. Asked if
he had any concerns about the Kyrgyz Republic falling ever
deeper into the Russian sphere of influence and whether China
had any interest in countering this, he answered that
Kyrgyzstan was already in that sphere, and China had no
interest in balancing that influence. "Kyrgyzstan is
Russia's neighbor," he intoned (somewhat expansively, since
Kyrgyzstan does not share a border with the Russian
Federation -- though it does share a border with China).
"And when the Kyrgyz ask me about this, I always tell them
that a neighbor is a gift from God." As for China's
interests in the Kyrgyz Republic, he stated flatly: "We have
only commercial interests here. We want to increase
investment and trade. We have no interest in politics." He
claimed that some Kyrgyz had argued for China to open a base
in Kyrgyzstan to counterbalance Russian and American
influence in the country, but China has no interest in a
base. "We want no military or political advantage.
Therefore, we wouldn't pay $3 billion for Manas," he argued.
PERSONAL ADVICE: PAY THEM $150 MILLION
¶6. (C) Zhang asked the Ambassador whether the U.S. would
negotiate to keep the Base open. The Ambassador answered
that the U.S. side was evaluating its options. Zhang then
offered his "personal advice," "This is all about money," he
said. He understood from the Kyrgyz that they needed $150
million. The Ambassador explained that the U.S. does provide
$150 million in assistance to Kyrgyzstan each year, including
numerous assistance programs. Zhang suggested that the U.S.
should scrap its assistance programs. "Just give them $150
million in cash" per year, and "you will have the Base
forever." Very uncharacteristically, the silent young aide
then jumped in: "Or maybe you should give them $5 billion and
buy both us and the Russians out." The aide then withered
under the Ambassador's horrified stare.
¶7. (C) Commenting on the recent diplomatic corps lunch (Ref
B), Zhang noted that Russian Ambassador Vlasov had been in an
expansive mood and dominated portions of the meeting. "I
think that's when he found out that they'd reached a deal"
with Bakiyev to close the Base, he opined. Zhang, who is
doyen of the diplomatic corps, said he would be leaving
Bishkek soon, but did not yet know his next assignment. "In
our service," he said, "we don't know our postings until the
last minute."
Comment
-------
¶8. (C) Zhang was clearly flustered when confronted with the
claims of Kyrgyz officials that they were negotiating a
financial deal with China in return for closing the Base.
While he ridiculed the notion of such a deal, he did not deny
it outright. Perhaps because of his being discomposed, he
returned several times to the topic of a possible revolution
in China if the economic picture does not improve and work is
not found for the millions of unemployed there. In our
experience, talk of revolution at home is taboo for Chinese
diplomats. While candid at times, the meeting ended on a
very cordial note.
GFOELLER
Spreading WikiLeaks: Leak Related to the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan (Part 1)
Thanks to a non-profit organisation WikiLeaks, several documents related to the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan entered the public domain. WikiLeaks documents have not been accessible for several days already. (Guess why?) That's why I have decided to publish the leaks related to Kyrgyzstan in my blog, and I encourage bloggers to do the same with the other documents. Now that the confedential information leaked, let's make it more difficult for the governments to stop us from satisfying our healthy curiosity.
----
Browse by classification
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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08BISHKEK1095 2008-10-29 12:12 2010-11-29 23:11 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Bishkek
VZCZCXRO8787
RR RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHEK #1095/01 3031207
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 291207Z OCT 08 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1474
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2724
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0265
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1087
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3111
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2497
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 165
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BISHKEK 001095
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDRESSEE)
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GORKOWSKI)
EO 12958 DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS PREL, ECON, KG
SUBJECT: CANDID DISCUSSION WITH PRINCE ANDREW ON THE KYRGYZ
ECONOMY AND THE “GREAT GAME”
REF: BISHKEK 1059
BISHKEK 00001095 001.4 OF 004
Classified By: Amb. Tatiana Gfoeller, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 28, the Ambassador participated in a two-hour brunch to brief HRH the Duke of York ahead of his meetings with the Kyrgyz Prime Minister and other high-level officials. She was the only non-subject of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth invited to participate by the British Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic. Other participants included major British investors in Kyrgyzstan and the Canadian operator of XXXXXXXX. The discussion covered the investment climate for Western firms in the Kyrgyz Republic, the problem of corruption, the revival of the “Great Game,” Russian and Chinese influence in the country, and the Prince’s personal views on promoting British economic interests. Astonishingly candid, the discussion at times verged on the rude (from the British side). END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) British Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Paul Brummell invited the Ambassador to participate in briefing His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, ahead of his October 28 meetings with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov and other high-level officials. The Prince was in Kyrgyzstan to promote British economic interests. Originally scheduled to last an hour over brunch, the briefing ended up lasting two hours, thanks to the super-engaged Prince’s pointed questions. The Ambassador was the only participant who was not a British subject or linked to the Commonwealth. The absence of her French and German colleagues was notable; they were apparently not invited despite being fellow members of the European Union. Others included major British investors in Kyrgyzstan and the Canadian operator of the Kumtor mine.
“YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH”
--------------------------------------------
¶3. (C) The discussion was kicked off by the president of the Canadian-run Kumtor mine, who described at length his company’s travails of trying to negotiate a revised mining concession that provides a greater stake in Kumtor’s parent company to the Kyrgyz government in exchange for a simplified tax regime and an expanded concession. He was followed by the representative of the British owner of Kyrgyzneftigas, who explained his company’s role in Kyrgyz oil exploration and production, as well as doing his share of complaining of being harassed and hounded by Kyrgyz tax authorities. One example he gave was that a Kyrgyz shareholder was now suing the company, saying that his “human rights” were being violated by the terms of his shareholders’ agreement.
¶4. (C) The Prince reacted with unmitigated patriotic fervor. To his credit, he diligently tried to understand the Kyrgyz point view. However, when participants explained that some Kyrgyz feel that they were “unfairly” led in the 1990s to sign unfavorable contracts with Westerners, he evinced no sympathy. “A contract is a contract,” he insisted. “You have to take the rough with the smooth.”
“ALL OF THIS SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE FRANCE”
----------------------------------------
¶5. (C) After having half-heartedly danced around the topic for a bit, only mentioning “personal interests” in pointed fashion, the business representatives then plunged into describing what they see as the appallingly high state of corruption in the Kyrgyz economy. While claiming that all of them never participated in it and never gave out bribes, one representative of a middle-sized company stated that “It is sometimes an awful temptation.” In an astonishing display of candor in a public hotel where the brunch was taking place, all of the businessmen then chorused that nothing gets done in Kyrgyzstan if President Bakiyev’s son Maxim does not get “his cut.” Prince Andrew took up the topic with gusto, saying that he keeps hearing Maxim’s name “over and over again” whenever he discusses doing business in this country. Emboldened, one businessman said that doing business here is “like doing business in the Yukon” in the nineteenth century, i.e. only those willing to participate in local corrupt practices are able to make any money. His colleagues all heartily agreed, with one pointing out that “nothing ever changes here. Before all you heard was Akayev’s son’s name. Now it’s Bakiyev’s son’s name.” At this point the Duke of York laughed uproariously, saying that: “All of this sounds exactly like France.”
¶6. (C) The Prince then turned to the Ambassador for an American take on the situation. The Ambassador described American business interests in the country, which range from large investments such as the Hyatt hotel and the Katel telecommunications company to smaller investments in a range of sectors. She stated that part of the problem with business conditions in Kyrgyzstan was the rapid turnover in government positions. Some reacted to their short tenures in a corrupt manner, wanting to “steal while they can” until they were turned out of office. While noting the need for greater transparency in doing business, she recounted that she had hosted the American Chamber of Commerce’s Members Day last week (attended by the Foreign Minister and the Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce) which had been widely attended and a resounding success (see reftel). She then described the beneficial impact on the Kyrgyz economy of the Coalition Air Base at Manas Airport.
“YOU HAVE TO CURE YOURSELF OF ANOREXIA”
---------------------------------------
¶7. (C) With a mock groan, the Duke of York then exclaimed: “My God, what am I supposed to tell these people?!” More seriously, he invited his guests to suggest ways Kyrgyzstan’s economic prospects and attractiveness could be improved. Everyone agreed that in his talks with the Prime Minister and others, he should emphasize the rule of law, and long-term stability.
¶8. (C) Agreeing with the Ambassador’s point about rapid government turnover, they urged him to impress upon his hosts the importance of predictability and the sanctity of contracts in order to attract more Western investment. At the same time, they pointed out that none of this was necessary to attract Russian, Kazakh, or Chinese investments. It appeared to them that the Kyrgyz were satisfied with their level and on the verge of “not bothering” with making the necessary improvements to attract Western investments. Returning to what is obviously a favorite theme, Prince Andrew cracked: “They won’t need to make any changes to attract the French either!” Again turning thoughtful, the Prince mused that outsiders could do little to change the culture of corruption here. “They themselves have to have a change of heart. Just like you have to cure yourself of anorexia. No one else can do it for you.”
PLAYING THE GREAT GAME (BY EXTENSION THE AMERICANS TOO)
--------------------------------------------- ----------
¶9. (C) Addressing the Ambassador directly, Prince Andrew then turned to regional politics. He stated baldly that “the United Kingdom, Western Europe (and by extension you Americans too”) were now back in the thick of playing the Great Game. More animated than ever, he stated cockily: “And this time we aim to win!” Without contradicting him, the Ambassador gently reminded him that the United States does not see its presence in the region as a continuation of the Great Game. We support Kyrgyzstan’s independence and sovereignty but also welcome good relations between it and all of its neighbors, including Russia.
¶10. (C) The Prince pounced at the sound of that name. He told the Ambassador that he was a frequent visitor to Central Asia and the Caucasus and had noticed a marked increase in Russian pressure and concomitant anxiety among the locals post-August events in Georgia. He stated the following story related to him recently by Azerbaijan’s President Aliyev. Aliyev had received a letter from President Medvedev telling him that if Azerbaijan supported the designation of the Bolshevik artificial famine in Ukraine as “genocide” at the United Nations, “then you can forget about seeing Nagorno-Karabakh ever again.” Prince Andrew added that every single other regional President had told him of receiving similar “directive” letters from Medvedev except for Bakiyev. He asked the Ambassador if Bakiyev had received something similar as well. The Ambassador answered that she was not aware of any such letter.
¶11. (C) The Duke then stated that he was very worried about Russia’s resurgence in the region. As an example, he cited the recent Central Asian energy and water-sharing deal (septel), which he claimed to know had been “engineered by Russia, who finally pounded her fist on the table and everyone fell into line.” (NOTE: Interestingly, the Turkish Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic recently described her analysis of the deal to the Ambassador in strikingly similar language. END NOTE.)
¶12. (C) Showing that he is an equal-opportunity Great Game player, HRH then turned to the topic of China. He recounted that when he had recently asked the President of Tajikistan what he thought of growing Chinese influence in Central Asia, the President had responded “with language I won’t use in front of ladies.” His interlocutors told the Prince that while Russians are generally viewed sympathetically throughout the region, the Chinese are not. He nodded, terming Chinese economic and possibly other expansion in the region “probably inevitable, but a menace.”
RUDE LANGUAGE A LA BRITISH
--------------------------
¶13. (C) The brunch had already lasted almost twice its allotted time, but the Prince looked like he was just getting started. Having exhausted the topic of Kyrgyzstan, he turned to the general issue of promoting British economic interests abroad. He railed at British anti-corruption investigators, who had had the “idiocy” of almost scuttling the Al-Yamama deal with Saudi Arabia. (NOTE: The Duke was referencing an investigation, subsequently closed, into alleged kickbacks a senior Saudi royal had received in exchange for the multi-year, lucrative BAE Systems contract to provide equipment and training to Saudi security forces. END NOTE.) His mother’s subjects seated around the table roared their approval. He then went on to “these (expletive) journalists, especially from the National Guardian, who poke their noses everywhere” and (presumably) make it harder for British businessmen to do business. The crowd practically clapped. He then capped this off with a zinger: castigating “our stupid (sic) British and American governments which plan at best for ten years whereas people in this part of the world plan for centuries.” There were calls of “hear, hear” in the private brunch hall. Unfortunately for the assembled British subjects, their cherished Prince was now late to the Prime Minister’s. He regretfully tore himself away from them and they from him. On the way out, one of them confided to the Ambassador: “What a wonderful representative for the British people! We could not be prouder of our royal family!”
COMMENT
-------
¶14. (C) COMMENT: Prince Andrew reached out to the Ambassador with cordiality and respect, evidently valuing her insights. However, he reacted with almost neuralgic patriotism whenever any comparison between the United States and United Kingdom came up. For example, one British businessman noted that despite the “overwhelming might of the American economy compared to ours” the amount of American and British investment in Kyrgyzstan was similar. Snapped the Duke: “No surprise there. The Americans don’t understand geography. Never have. In the U.K., we have the best geography teachers in the world!” END COMMENT.
GFOELLER
----
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Viewing cable 08BISHKEK1095, CANDID DISCUSSION WITH PRINCE ANDREW ON THE KYRGYZ
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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08BISHKEK1095 2008-10-29 12:12 2010-11-29 23:11 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Bishkek
VZCZCXRO8787
RR RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHEK #1095/01 3031207
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 291207Z OCT 08 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1474
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2724
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0265
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1087
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3111
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2497
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 165
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BISHKEK 001095
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDRESSEE)
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GORKOWSKI)
EO 12958 DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS PREL, ECON, KG
SUBJECT: CANDID DISCUSSION WITH PRINCE ANDREW ON THE KYRGYZ
ECONOMY AND THE “GREAT GAME”
REF: BISHKEK 1059
BISHKEK 00001095 001.4 OF 004
Classified By: Amb. Tatiana Gfoeller, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 28, the Ambassador participated in a two-hour brunch to brief HRH the Duke of York ahead of his meetings with the Kyrgyz Prime Minister and other high-level officials. She was the only non-subject of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth invited to participate by the British Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic. Other participants included major British investors in Kyrgyzstan and the Canadian operator of XXXXXXXX. The discussion covered the investment climate for Western firms in the Kyrgyz Republic, the problem of corruption, the revival of the “Great Game,” Russian and Chinese influence in the country, and the Prince’s personal views on promoting British economic interests. Astonishingly candid, the discussion at times verged on the rude (from the British side). END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) British Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Paul Brummell invited the Ambassador to participate in briefing His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, ahead of his October 28 meetings with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov and other high-level officials. The Prince was in Kyrgyzstan to promote British economic interests. Originally scheduled to last an hour over brunch, the briefing ended up lasting two hours, thanks to the super-engaged Prince’s pointed questions. The Ambassador was the only participant who was not a British subject or linked to the Commonwealth. The absence of her French and German colleagues was notable; they were apparently not invited despite being fellow members of the European Union. Others included major British investors in Kyrgyzstan and the Canadian operator of the Kumtor mine.
“YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH”
--------------------------------------------
¶3. (C) The discussion was kicked off by the president of the Canadian-run Kumtor mine, who described at length his company’s travails of trying to negotiate a revised mining concession that provides a greater stake in Kumtor’s parent company to the Kyrgyz government in exchange for a simplified tax regime and an expanded concession. He was followed by the representative of the British owner of Kyrgyzneftigas, who explained his company’s role in Kyrgyz oil exploration and production, as well as doing his share of complaining of being harassed and hounded by Kyrgyz tax authorities. One example he gave was that a Kyrgyz shareholder was now suing the company, saying that his “human rights” were being violated by the terms of his shareholders’ agreement.
¶4. (C) The Prince reacted with unmitigated patriotic fervor. To his credit, he diligently tried to understand the Kyrgyz point view. However, when participants explained that some Kyrgyz feel that they were “unfairly” led in the 1990s to sign unfavorable contracts with Westerners, he evinced no sympathy. “A contract is a contract,” he insisted. “You have to take the rough with the smooth.”
“ALL OF THIS SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE FRANCE”
----------------------------------------
¶5. (C) After having half-heartedly danced around the topic for a bit, only mentioning “personal interests” in pointed fashion, the business representatives then plunged into describing what they see as the appallingly high state of corruption in the Kyrgyz economy. While claiming that all of them never participated in it and never gave out bribes, one representative of a middle-sized company stated that “It is sometimes an awful temptation.” In an astonishing display of candor in a public hotel where the brunch was taking place, all of the businessmen then chorused that nothing gets done in Kyrgyzstan if President Bakiyev’s son Maxim does not get “his cut.” Prince Andrew took up the topic with gusto, saying that he keeps hearing Maxim’s name “over and over again” whenever he discusses doing business in this country. Emboldened, one businessman said that doing business here is “like doing business in the Yukon” in the nineteenth century, i.e. only those willing to participate in local corrupt practices are able to make any money. His colleagues all heartily agreed, with one pointing out that “nothing ever changes here. Before all you heard was Akayev’s son’s name. Now it’s Bakiyev’s son’s name.” At this point the Duke of York laughed uproariously, saying that: “All of this sounds exactly like France.”
¶6. (C) The Prince then turned to the Ambassador for an American take on the situation. The Ambassador described American business interests in the country, which range from large investments such as the Hyatt hotel and the Katel telecommunications company to smaller investments in a range of sectors. She stated that part of the problem with business conditions in Kyrgyzstan was the rapid turnover in government positions. Some reacted to their short tenures in a corrupt manner, wanting to “steal while they can” until they were turned out of office. While noting the need for greater transparency in doing business, she recounted that she had hosted the American Chamber of Commerce’s Members Day last week (attended by the Foreign Minister and the Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce) which had been widely attended and a resounding success (see reftel). She then described the beneficial impact on the Kyrgyz economy of the Coalition Air Base at Manas Airport.
“YOU HAVE TO CURE YOURSELF OF ANOREXIA”
---------------------------------------
¶7. (C) With a mock groan, the Duke of York then exclaimed: “My God, what am I supposed to tell these people?!” More seriously, he invited his guests to suggest ways Kyrgyzstan’s economic prospects and attractiveness could be improved. Everyone agreed that in his talks with the Prime Minister and others, he should emphasize the rule of law, and long-term stability.
¶8. (C) Agreeing with the Ambassador’s point about rapid government turnover, they urged him to impress upon his hosts the importance of predictability and the sanctity of contracts in order to attract more Western investment. At the same time, they pointed out that none of this was necessary to attract Russian, Kazakh, or Chinese investments. It appeared to them that the Kyrgyz were satisfied with their level and on the verge of “not bothering” with making the necessary improvements to attract Western investments. Returning to what is obviously a favorite theme, Prince Andrew cracked: “They won’t need to make any changes to attract the French either!” Again turning thoughtful, the Prince mused that outsiders could do little to change the culture of corruption here. “They themselves have to have a change of heart. Just like you have to cure yourself of anorexia. No one else can do it for you.”
PLAYING THE GREAT GAME (BY EXTENSION THE AMERICANS TOO)
--------------------------------------------- ----------
¶9. (C) Addressing the Ambassador directly, Prince Andrew then turned to regional politics. He stated baldly that “the United Kingdom, Western Europe (and by extension you Americans too”) were now back in the thick of playing the Great Game. More animated than ever, he stated cockily: “And this time we aim to win!” Without contradicting him, the Ambassador gently reminded him that the United States does not see its presence in the region as a continuation of the Great Game. We support Kyrgyzstan’s independence and sovereignty but also welcome good relations between it and all of its neighbors, including Russia.
¶10. (C) The Prince pounced at the sound of that name. He told the Ambassador that he was a frequent visitor to Central Asia and the Caucasus and had noticed a marked increase in Russian pressure and concomitant anxiety among the locals post-August events in Georgia. He stated the following story related to him recently by Azerbaijan’s President Aliyev. Aliyev had received a letter from President Medvedev telling him that if Azerbaijan supported the designation of the Bolshevik artificial famine in Ukraine as “genocide” at the United Nations, “then you can forget about seeing Nagorno-Karabakh ever again.” Prince Andrew added that every single other regional President had told him of receiving similar “directive” letters from Medvedev except for Bakiyev. He asked the Ambassador if Bakiyev had received something similar as well. The Ambassador answered that she was not aware of any such letter.
¶11. (C) The Duke then stated that he was very worried about Russia’s resurgence in the region. As an example, he cited the recent Central Asian energy and water-sharing deal (septel), which he claimed to know had been “engineered by Russia, who finally pounded her fist on the table and everyone fell into line.” (NOTE: Interestingly, the Turkish Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic recently described her analysis of the deal to the Ambassador in strikingly similar language. END NOTE.)
¶12. (C) Showing that he is an equal-opportunity Great Game player, HRH then turned to the topic of China. He recounted that when he had recently asked the President of Tajikistan what he thought of growing Chinese influence in Central Asia, the President had responded “with language I won’t use in front of ladies.” His interlocutors told the Prince that while Russians are generally viewed sympathetically throughout the region, the Chinese are not. He nodded, terming Chinese economic and possibly other expansion in the region “probably inevitable, but a menace.”
RUDE LANGUAGE A LA BRITISH
--------------------------
¶13. (C) The brunch had already lasted almost twice its allotted time, but the Prince looked like he was just getting started. Having exhausted the topic of Kyrgyzstan, he turned to the general issue of promoting British economic interests abroad. He railed at British anti-corruption investigators, who had had the “idiocy” of almost scuttling the Al-Yamama deal with Saudi Arabia. (NOTE: The Duke was referencing an investigation, subsequently closed, into alleged kickbacks a senior Saudi royal had received in exchange for the multi-year, lucrative BAE Systems contract to provide equipment and training to Saudi security forces. END NOTE.) His mother’s subjects seated around the table roared their approval. He then went on to “these (expletive) journalists, especially from the National Guardian, who poke their noses everywhere” and (presumably) make it harder for British businessmen to do business. The crowd practically clapped. He then capped this off with a zinger: castigating “our stupid (sic) British and American governments which plan at best for ten years whereas people in this part of the world plan for centuries.” There were calls of “hear, hear” in the private brunch hall. Unfortunately for the assembled British subjects, their cherished Prince was now late to the Prime Minister’s. He regretfully tore himself away from them and they from him. On the way out, one of them confided to the Ambassador: “What a wonderful representative for the British people! We could not be prouder of our royal family!”
COMMENT
-------
¶14. (C) COMMENT: Prince Andrew reached out to the Ambassador with cordiality and respect, evidently valuing her insights. However, he reacted with almost neuralgic patriotism whenever any comparison between the United States and United Kingdom came up. For example, one British businessman noted that despite the “overwhelming might of the American economy compared to ours” the amount of American and British investment in Kyrgyzstan was similar. Snapped the Duke: “No surprise there. The Americans don’t understand geography. Never have. In the U.K., we have the best geography teachers in the world!” END COMMENT.
GFOELLER
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The Prison of My Perspective
I purchased "The Prison of Perspective" at the 21st Annual GNEL / ASNEL Conference "Contested Communities: Communication, Narration, Imagination" (13-16 May 2010, Bayreuth, Germany). Rudolph Bader, the author of the novel, gladly signed the book at the event. I was happy to have a brief conversation with Mr. Bader, afterwards. (And very pleased that my name was spelled correctly).At first sight, it appeared to me that his looks had much in common with Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, one of my favourite Russian short-story writers. But, of course, they are not related. Or, maybe, I should come up with another perspective. In this case, I dare to rephrase Archimedes of Syracuse: "Give me a perspective, and I shall prove Chekhov and Bader are related." "The Prison of Perspective" is a novel which calls for a deep reflection. I feel the same way when I read Anton Chekhov...
According to Rudolphbader.com, the author was born in Zurich, Switzerland. He has lived and worked in many countries, mainly as an academic in English Studies and as a literary critic. He holds several academic degrees, and he has published seven books and dozens of scholarly articles under his German name. Today, he lives in East Sussex (England) and in Switzerland. The Prison of Perspective is his first novel. His second novel, White Lies, is forthcoming.
I made up my mind to buy Mr Bader's book right after he mentioned the Russian Sputnik during the brief reading session.
This is one of the many other vivid examples of the potential fallacies of perspective. Peter is being indoctrinated by the school teacher, who makes her best effort to explain what "West" is and what it is not by rearranging the prejudices of her time. I imagined Soviet kids indoctrinated by Soviet teachers... What was "West" for them? I do not remember.
According to the author's own synopsis, the novel unfolds around the three major narrative perspectives.
The first narrative perspective
In 2007, Ivan MacGregor, a London-based businessman in his late forties, drives out of London thinking of episodes in his past. He has a car accident which involves a young woman, Emma Richardson. Although the accident is not his fault and although he has no responsibility towards her, he feels strangely connected with her. He tries to find out as much as possible about her life, and he becomes her benefactor. Formerly a fast-living playboy-type, the accident causes him to change his life and become more responsible.
The second narrative perspective
In the 1950s, Peter Hoffmann, a shy but alert young boy grows up in a mediocre small-town society. Through the years he makes his first experiences in sexuality, in human relationships and in the limitations of life. He likes to take mental photographs of memorable moments in his life. He grows up, suffers various disappointments and re-assesses his relationship with his brother Fred, who dies in an air crash in 1978.
The third narrative perspective
In the 1960s, Cathy, an eager girl searching for truths, grows up in a narrow-minded village community. Her old-fashioned aunt, her best friend Becky and her brother Stephen pull her young mind in different directions. She suffers several instances of male aggression, and when she grows up she has various affairs, most importantly with an older man from Germany. She gradually turns into a bitchy person. Her world is shocked when her brother dies in that air crash in 1978. Then she spends two years in Australia on a scholarship, during which time she gets pregnant after a one-night stand and gives birth to Emma. After her return she meets Don Richardson and falls in love. They marry, and he adopts little Emma. Their marriage looks happy from the outside, but in reality she lives at Don’s emotional expense. Only her friend Becky understands the real situation. (...)
Every character mentioned turns out to be a prisoner of the assumptions and dogmas of his or her lifetime, which they question either instrumentally or intuitively. But Cathy's case is extraordinary. She is a high IQ/low EQ type of a woman. Her rebelism is admirable. Yet her snobbism is emotionally devastating to the people who love her. Cathy is shot during a bank robbery in Finchley Road, and she dies on the floor of the bank hall. Her death draws some characters together, and some apart.
After Cathy's death, most of the attention of the reader is shifted to the tender relationship between Don and his stepdaughter, and their mutual friend Peter. The relationships between Ivan and Emma, actually, the biological father and daughter, are very complex. Unaware of the nature of their blood relationships, they establish a positive friendship. Yet there is a kind of sexual tension in the story, which is, finally, resolved by Ivan himself:
"If Emma and Peter are good freinds he must accept it. She is a grown up woman who knows what she is doing. (...) Ivan admits to himself that the vision of Peter as her lover has probably emerged from his own secret wishes, because he has not been intimate with a woman for such a long time. But even without the possible existence of Samantha he knows that he never ever looked at Emma as a potential lover. He still cannot explain his interest in her, but he knows it is there."
The end of the novel is open. Emma, Peter and Ivan meet at the graveyard. Ivan bends downs and places the bouquet on Cathy's grave.
"I wonder what secrets she took to her grave with her," Emma whispers. "There is so much that the older generation knows but never tells. What will my life teach me, I wonder?"
The path cranches, a dog barks in the distance."
Emma is in the process of being patterned to fit the needs of a different generation, but, unlike her mother, she is open to other views of things (like those of her Muslim colleague Aysha from the fashion magazine or her mature friend Uncle Peter, the child of the ascetic 50ies). Will Emma's understanding of reality be ever complete? This question leaves the reader shifting between two different "realities": that of Emma and the reader respectively.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Top1 Book on My List: Eczema-Free For Life by Adnan Nasir, M.D., and Priscilla Burgess
I knew that moving to a sunny seaside resort for good was the Top1 solution to take control over my eczema. Still, I took my time and read Eczema-Free For Life very carefully. Basically, the purpose of this blog post is to praise the book.
I have been struggling with eczema since childhood, and none of my doctors helped me to get better informed about my health condition. I do not blame them for that. They tried to help me with their pieces of advice. But reading this book was better than 100 visits to the dermatologists, who never had time to explain what is wrong-or different-about my skin.
1. Thanks to this book I understood the differences between an allergy and eczema. These should not be confused.
2. The book combats the old common myth according to which eczema is a result of the psychological problems. The faulty genes are responsible for my skin disorder and not "ill weak soul" or something like that. But this chronic skin disorder might effect psychological health of the patient.
3. The book explained what itching is and how to better deal with this very uncomfortable symptom.
4. Most importantly, the book describes the treatments of eczema in terms of what they are and what contemporary (American) scientists know about their efficacy. The authors accept the fact that some treatments work well but there is no reliable scientific research explaining why these treatments work.
5. The book, basically, disillusions, but for the patient's good: there is no sense in rushing for fast miracle cures, none exists yet. Taking control over this disorder takes a big effort, and there is no guarantee it will be cured.
The illustrations like this one are especially helpful in clarifying complex itch-scratch-rash cycle.
If you are diagnised with eczema, this book is a must. You should make sure your parents or peers understand your condition, so ask them to read this book as well. The book also helped me to understand how my loved ones, especially, my parents feel when I have severe inflamation. They have tough times seing me suffering. This book helped me to realize how egoistic and negative I was thinking my loved ones did not make an effort to understand how I feel and still try to "act normal".
This book had a very positive anaesthetic effect on me. I highly recommend it.
---
Update November 1, 2010: I have published my brief review of this book on Amazon.com. It is slightly different. If you are interested, take a look.
Besides, I had a glimpse of The Eczema Community on Amazon: very useful if you want to purchase eczema treatment products in this on-line shop.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Teaching the Next Course: The Personal Historical Narratives about the Emergence and Rise of the American Politicosphere
For those interested, here is the brief description of my next course:
The history of blogosphere is very short, yet very complex. This course is an overview of the personal historical narratives about the emergence and rise of what is defined today as an American political blogosphere, the U.S. political Web or the U.S. politicosphere. So, what is a “blog”? Within blogosphere, it is asserted to be “common knowledge” that the term “weblog” was coined in December 17, 1997 by Jorn Barger of Robot Wisdom. In 1998, American webloggers became a self-conscious community (Rosenberg, 2009). In January 1999, Cameron Barrett of CamWorld published an essay called “Anatomy of a Weblog,” which adopted the term “weblog” and described the main technical features of the format. In 1999, Peter Merholz of Peterme announced about his decision to pronounce “weblog” as “wee’-blog”, “Or ‘blog’ for short.” Obviously, there is no dominant definition of what “blog” stands for. It has always been a matter of definition and a question of acceptance of this definition by bloggers-practitioners, who make up a community of communities. In September 1999, Brad L. Graham of The BradLands jokingly named this enormous collection of the interconnected communities as “blogosphere”. But what stands for “politicosphere”? And how different is it from “blogosphere”? And does it make any sense to distinguisg between the both? Despite the popularity of the term in the American on-line and off-line political news, the term has not been yet defined. This course invites you to read the personal historical narratives of the bloggers-educators and journalists (Blood, Barrett, Mead, Perlmutter, Davis, Rosenberg, Boehlert, etc.) and bloggers-politicians and political activists (Dean, Obama, Plouffe, Moulitsas, etc.) and share your thoughts, observations and research findings related to the topic of this course in a short blog-project.
Texts
1. Blood, Rebecca (2002). The weblog handbook: Practical advice on creating and maintaining your blog. Perseus Publishing: Cambridge, MA.
2. Blood, Rebecca (2002). Weblogs: A History and Perspective, in Rebecca’s Pocket, weblog. Also in John Rodzvilla (ed) (2002): We’ve got blog; How weblogs are changing our culture, Cambridge Massachusetts: Perseus PublishingBoehlert, Eric (2009) “Bloggers on the Bus/How the Internet Changed Politics and the Press”.
3. Davis, Richard (2009). Typing Politics: The Role of Blogs in American Politics, Oxford University Press.
4. Perlmutter, David (2008). Blog Wars: The New Political Battleground, Oxford UP.
5. Plouffe, David (2009). The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory, Viking Adult.
6. Rosenberg, Scott (2009) Say Everything: How Blogging Began, What It's Becoming, and Why It Matters. New York: Crown Publishers.
7. Trippi, Joe (2004). The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything, Regan Books.
Tentative Schedule
WEEK 1: First day of class, introduction, syllabus.
The Emergence
WEEK 2: The Emergence and Rise of the American Politicosphere I (PPT)
WEEK 3: The Emergence and Rise of the American Politicosphere II (PPT)
WEEK 4: Rebecca Blood (2002) “The Weblog Handbook/Practical Advice on Creating and Maintaining Your Blog”
WEEK 5: Ed. Rebecca Blood (2002) “We’ve Got Blog/How Weblogs Are Changing Our Culture”
WEEK 6: Ed. Rebecca Blood (2002) “We’ve Got Blog”
WEEK 7: Rebecca Blood (2002) “The Weblog Handbook” and Ed. Rebecca Blood (2002) “We’ve Got Blog”
The Rise
WEEK 8: Joe Trippi (2004) “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”
WEEK 9: David Perlmutter (2008) “Blog Wars”
WEEK 10: Scott Rosenberg (2009) “Say Everything/How Blogging Began, What It’s Becoming, and Why It Matters”
WEEK 11: Richard Davis (2009) “Typing Politics/The Role of Blogs in American Politics”
WEEK 12: Eric Boehlert (2009) “Bloggers on the Bus/How the Internet Changed Politics and the Press”
The Fall (?)
WEEK 13: David Plouffe (2009) “The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory”
WEEK 14: Blogging declining in popularity: selection of articles and reports from The Pew Research and The Economist about the trend.
WEEK 15: PRESENTATIONS of the blog projects
WEEK 16: Exam, Kaffee und Kuchen
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Why Would Be Israeli Brigadier-General Interested in Deleuze and Guattari's Philosophical Concepts?
My Facebook wall-post:
"Why would be Israeli military interested in Deleuze and Guattari's philosophical concepts?! Naveh, retired Brigadier-General: "Palestinian areas could indeed be thought of as “striated” in the sense that they are enclosed by fences, walls, ditches, roads blocks and so on." And they drill the walls of Palestinian houses ...to get to the targets. What a marvelous application of structuralism!" :(
Read the full article "The Art of War" by Eyal Weizman (Frieze Magazine, Issue 99 May 2006) here.
A private message on Facebook:
The picture mentioned in the text:
The text of the witness who took the picture:
More pictures digged on the web:
LIFE
Defence for Children International
Israel National News
AFP fetched at TheWe
LIFE
Sirocco::Middle East blog
Banksy uses walls for different purposes:
Banksy in Palestine
"Why would be Israeli military interested in Deleuze and Guattari's philosophical concepts?! Naveh, retired Brigadier-General: "Palestinian areas could indeed be thought of as “striated” in the sense that they are enclosed by fences, walls, ditches, roads blocks and so on." And they drill the walls of Palestinian houses ...to get to the targets. What a marvelous application of structuralism!" :(
Read the full article "The Art of War" by Eyal Weizman (Frieze Magazine, Issue 99 May 2006) here.
A private message on Facebook:
"Hey Svetlana,
I had heard about the article on Deleuze and the Israeli army, that you posted on facebook, but never read it. They say the same about the American army, that they read hip contemporary theory for inspiration. It is also often pointed out that contemporary capitalist management theories also love to seek inspiration in theories about networks, rhizomes, deterritorialization, etc... It's crazy, but I think any theory can be abused if one really wants to. No theory is "sacred" in the sense that it cannot be abused or used in really terrible ways. the same with D&G. But I actually think that D&C concepts get used in problematic ways quite often.
In 2002, I was in Palestine, and back then I put some pictures on this really badly made site (I made it quickly). It's pretty hysterical and badly written. But anyway, there's a photo somewhere in there of such a big hole in the wall, you know, the D&G-"inspired" tactic:
http://www.palestinepictures.sincerethought.org/"
The picture mentioned in the text:
The text of the witness who took the picture:
This is a living room in the Aida refugee camp. When the army invades the camp, they don’t walk on the street, but go straight through the houses. As you can see here, most houses have big holes in the wall and painted signs for the soldiers.
More pictures digged on the web:
LIFE
Defence for Children International
Israel National News
AFP fetched at TheWe
LIFE
Sirocco::Middle East blog
Banksy uses walls for different purposes:
Banksy in Palestine
Friday, July 23, 2010
The 3rd Annual International Deleuze Studies Conference "Connect, Continue, Create": A Very Important Event, Why Blog About It?!
There happened an important event in my life: I made up my mind on the conceptual framework for my PhD thesis. I will never forget the excitement as a result of this discovery. So, why blogging about it?
In "The Blog Report: Technologies of Forgetting" Craig Saper writes that blogs call us into forgetting:
I am not making an effort to forget the 3rd Deleze Conference by remembering it in my blog. It's in my long-term memory, but I do accept that some of my blog-posts were published for the purpose of forgetting some certain (even very significant) events.
11 July 2010. The event I wish I could forget: Netherlands vs Spain, 2010 World Cup Final craziness. Read below why.
The prices for the shabbiest beds in Amsterdam skyrocketed. 80 Euros per night was the cheapest one could get. Luckily, one hotel agency helped me to find a cheap bed... The crew of the cruiser(!) turned out to be Russian. I figured it out after I heard the big men chatting very loudly with each other, swearing unholy and drinking, probably, Sprite. I speak Russian once a week, when I call my parents. My parents never swear over the telephone. So, it was funny to hear someone swearing in Russian so.. naturally.
The tiny room cost me 25 Euros per night. Considering the fact I had 200 Euros in my pockets for five days in Amsterdam, it was a great deal! I bought me two Heineken and wished Spain luck with managing their economic crisis.
11 July 2010. The discovery I do not want to forget. I have found a beautiful graffitti at Van Diemenstraat. I thought it was a Kindergarden. If so, what an original and daring idea: a baby-dinosaurus instead of a little cute bamby, sharp-toothed predator versus vulnerable herbivorous victim. Times change and the representations of children on the kindergarden walls change as well.
12 July 2010. Failed expectations: one of the presentations I was looking forward to attending was cancelled. The presentation "Deleuze and Citizenship: From Migration to Nomadism" by Thomas Nail did not take place. If I am not mistaken, he is a philosophy doctoral candidate, who was awarded a Fulbright to conduct research in Montréal and Toronto as a visiting scholar at the Center of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement (CERIS): "Drawing on the political philosophy of French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, his research will focus on the political organization and theoretical innovations of Canada's diverse and burgeoning immigrant rights movement." I was very much looking forward to meeting this person. I am planning to write a paper about the Kyrgyz nomads who revolted against their presidents and expelled them from the country... These presidents turned into immigrants. On the other hand, they have become the nomading ex-Presidents of nomads...
12 July 2010. And here is a stream of the positive long-term memories:
Double espresso chat with Stijn De Cauwer, a young incisive scholar from Belgium. Registration and welcoming plenary sessions with Constantin Boundas and Felicity Colman in the Aula (which is, actually, an old Lutheran Church). Generous lunch at the Atrium, something like a Dutch "Mensa" with healthier choices, fresher smell, more day light and cleaner floors. The Image of Thought session with Diana Masny (chair), Chris Beighton ("Criticality, Clinicality and Connectivity in Education") and Alexi Kukuljevic ("Multiplicity and the Logic of Capital"). Refreshments at beautiful Oudemanhuispoort (see the picture below).
In the evening, Lorna Collins and Xena Lee invited the audience to take part in "Making Sense of Territory--the Painting Event as a Territorial Gesture" at Brakke Grond Witte Zaal. In "Philosophy in Practice" booklet the artists explain:
Fragile Lorna Collins is done with her presentation.
Xena Lee territorializes the painting. One of the volunteers passes on more transparency sheets to her.
My modest contribution to the painting event: find the "lacy noodles with compressed spirals" chunk on the canvas.
13 July 2010. I want to forget running through the heavy rain in Amsterdam.
13 July 2010. I do not want to forget the most exciting panel session of the conference titled Trahir/Gilles Deleuze's Virtuality: René Lemieux's "The Guattarian Otherness: A Pharmakon for the Deleuzian Studies?"; Suzanne Hême de Lacotte "Gilles Deleuze's Iconoclasm?"; Flore Garcin-Marrou's "Gilles Deleuze and Theater, or The Philosophy and its 'Other'"; Cécile Voisset-Veysseyre's "The Amazonian in Questions: Monique Wittig or Gilles Deleuze?"; Fabrice Bourlez's "Deleuze and the Question of Gender"; Denis Viennet's "Virtual and Becoming-Other: The Question of Stranger in Deleuze". I have found a beautiful video on one of the webpages of the Chimères dedicated to Suzanne Hême de Lacotte's "Image Cinématographique et Image de la Pensée Philosophique".
I hope, Suzanne will not mind if I also publish the excerpt available on Chimères:
Please, click on the links and check out the presenters' books (in French). Informative, interesting, at times, provoking, this penal session was my favourite.
My presentation was scheduled for the Digital Machines session at 11:30 chaired by Felicity Colman (!!!) Oh my, really? I did not recognize her. Now, when I am writing this blog-post, I am slowly realizing what a lucky ass I was to meet Felicity Colman in person and even receive a positive comment from her! Felicity Colman has many admirers. Some expressed their admiration by creating a Facebook group I'm in love with Felicity Colman ! In the age of Net, this might be considered as an ultimate expression of love, you know.
I will write about my own presentation at the 3rd Deleuze Conference in a separate blog-post. Let me introduce you to Bruno Lessard, the Canadian scholar who presented his paper titled "Claiming the Event: Deleuze, Foucault, and Digital Video". Those particularly interested in film theory and Gilles Deleuze’s work Cinema 2: The Time-Image, might be interested in "Missed Encounters: Film Theory and Expanded Cinema" by Bruno Lessard available at The Refractory.
The session Micropolitical Instances chaired by Claudia Mongini gathered philosophers and artists. The presentations were very informative and hard to digest (it was a very long conference day for everyone): Andre Dias' "To Have Done with the Possible: Involuntarism as the Other Side of Biopolitics" (Andre writes a cinema and contemporary culture Portuguese blog "Ainda não começámos a pensar / We have yet to start thinking"); Tina Rahimy's "Becoming-minority-in-language The political relevance of incomprehension"; Andrea Medjesi Jones "A Shock to Thought: Conditions of the Emerging Image" (I liked her paintings and the poster: "If You Look Hard You Look Hard"); Boram Jeong's "The Power of the False: Deleuzian Politico-aesthetics".
In the evening, I enjoyed observing the conference participants and organizers drinking sparkling wine and having sparkling conversations. There was something very special about this particular conference. I wish I could step forward and dance during Richard Pinhas' concert at the Expo Zaal in de Brakke Grond. I guess, Stijn, somehow noticed my unreserved admiration and asked me, "Why aren't you dancing?"
14 July 2010. I woke up in my new cozy bed. My Eurocruiser cradle was off to Germany. It was my second time in Hotel Y-Boulevard. They have cheap and very cheap beds. This time, I paid 20 Euros per night. In August 2009, I paid just 9 Euros.
If you scrutinize the brochure of the Hotel Y-Boulevard, you will see what a beautiful hotel it used to be. Not anymore. But I still like this cheap hotel: they have snow white towels and clean bed sheets. In addition, they have a breakfast buffet. What else do I need? Well, probably, nice quiet room mates. I met nice people from Norway, USA, Canada and Mexico in two nights at Hotel Y-Boulevard. But when the guys started drinking whisky and smoking weed, I felt strange vibrations in the air. I did not want those dark vibrations, I wanted to run away. When you go to a conference or lecture in Amsterdam, this is always the case: tourists come to this city to get wasted and get high, and you have absolutely different priorities. I want to forget the tourists who come to Amsterdam and get stupidly lost in the Red Disctrict. There is so much more to Amsterdam than smoking pot. Now when you have seen the Red District, here are "10 Things to do in Amsterdam BESIDES Smoking Pot".
14 July 2010. I do not want to forget the early-morning conversation with Phillip X. I forgot to ask his full name. He was from Brazil. I asked him about the most beautiful places in Brazil, and he recommended Bonito ("The most beautiful place in the world!") and the beaches of Florianópolis. I looked up the pictures, and now I am dreaming of going to those places. Then Phillip and I hurried to different parallel sessions. I attended the Memorial Practices session moderated by Craig Lundy. Unfortunately, one of the presenters was absent. This leads me to the next sentence. Fortunately, we had more time for questions to the presenters Jean Hillier ("Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on: Taking a Heritage Rollercoaster ride with Deleuze"), Victoria Browne ("Histories of Feminism as a Place of Immanence: Methodological Explorations in Histroriography and Archival Practice") and Zsuzsa Baross (I cannot recollect the title of her presentation, she changed the original title "159+1 Variations, or Painting Becoming Music").
I was undecided between the session Deleuze/Guattari in (Neo) Material Software Cultures and the Dutch movie The One All Alone in Eye Film Institute at the Vondelpark. And I attended the panel session, missing the last chance to watch the film. This session was extremely useful for my own PhD thesis chapter about the maps of blogosphere. I kept on making notes like crazy. I met Jussi Parikka, Director of CoDE - The Cultures of the Digital Economy-institute at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge ("Does Software Have Affects, or, What Can a Digital Body of Code Do?"). Seb Franklin's presentation "The Executable Image: Deleuze, Cinema and Software Studies" sparked a discussion between the film industry practitioners. Tero Karppi's "How to Disappear Completely? Disconnecting As an Act of Resistance Against Social Networks" evoked an overwhelming response from the audience not aware of the existance of the so-called Web 2.0 suicide machines. It was my top 2 favourite session in Oudemanhuispoort.
In the closing key lecture "Vegetable Locomotion: A Deleuzian Ethics/Aesthetics of Traveling Plants", Laura Marks imaginatively explored the journeys of plants across gardens, fields, continents and--figuratively--over houses of Amsterdam, Islamic mosques and Caucasian carpets...
So many important things happened. And yes, Craig Saper, I am afraid you are right. I am afraid to forget these trivial (for you) important (for me) things, and I need technologies helping cope with this anxiety, the anxiety of a [potential] loss:
In "The Blog Report: Technologies of Forgetting" Craig Saper writes that blogs call us into forgetting:
In the blogsphere, efforts to remember allow everyone to forget as the messages literally sink to the bottom archived in an accessible (and therefore not pressing) heap. In the movie, one technician uses the hero's memories to seduce the heroine (again) as if for the first time. In the blogsphere, seductions and frauds fuel the effort to forget by remembering.
I am not making an effort to forget the 3rd Deleze Conference by remembering it in my blog. It's in my long-term memory, but I do accept that some of my blog-posts were published for the purpose of forgetting some certain (even very significant) events.
11 July 2010. The event I wish I could forget: Netherlands vs Spain, 2010 World Cup Final craziness. Read below why.
The prices for the shabbiest beds in Amsterdam skyrocketed. 80 Euros per night was the cheapest one could get. Luckily, one hotel agency helped me to find a cheap bed... The crew of the cruiser(!) turned out to be Russian. I figured it out after I heard the big men chatting very loudly with each other, swearing unholy and drinking, probably, Sprite. I speak Russian once a week, when I call my parents. My parents never swear over the telephone. So, it was funny to hear someone swearing in Russian so.. naturally.
The tiny room cost me 25 Euros per night. Considering the fact I had 200 Euros in my pockets for five days in Amsterdam, it was a great deal! I bought me two Heineken and wished Spain luck with managing their economic crisis.
11 July 2010. The discovery I do not want to forget. I have found a beautiful graffitti at Van Diemenstraat. I thought it was a Kindergarden. If so, what an original and daring idea: a baby-dinosaurus instead of a little cute bamby, sharp-toothed predator versus vulnerable herbivorous victim. Times change and the representations of children on the kindergarden walls change as well.
12 July 2010. Failed expectations: one of the presentations I was looking forward to attending was cancelled. The presentation "Deleuze and Citizenship: From Migration to Nomadism" by Thomas Nail did not take place. If I am not mistaken, he is a philosophy doctoral candidate, who was awarded a Fulbright to conduct research in Montréal and Toronto as a visiting scholar at the Center of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement (CERIS): "Drawing on the political philosophy of French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, his research will focus on the political organization and theoretical innovations of Canada's diverse and burgeoning immigrant rights movement." I was very much looking forward to meeting this person. I am planning to write a paper about the Kyrgyz nomads who revolted against their presidents and expelled them from the country... These presidents turned into immigrants. On the other hand, they have become the nomading ex-Presidents of nomads...
12 July 2010. And here is a stream of the positive long-term memories:
Double espresso chat with Stijn De Cauwer, a young incisive scholar from Belgium. Registration and welcoming plenary sessions with Constantin Boundas and Felicity Colman in the Aula (which is, actually, an old Lutheran Church). Generous lunch at the Atrium, something like a Dutch "Mensa" with healthier choices, fresher smell, more day light and cleaner floors. The Image of Thought session with Diana Masny (chair), Chris Beighton ("Criticality, Clinicality and Connectivity in Education") and Alexi Kukuljevic ("Multiplicity and the Logic of Capital"). Refreshments at beautiful Oudemanhuispoort (see the picture below).
In the evening, Lorna Collins and Xena Lee invited the audience to take part in "Making Sense of Territory--the Painting Event as a Territorial Gesture" at Brakke Grond Witte Zaal. In "Philosophy in Practice" booklet the artists explain:
In Making sense of territory: the painting event as a territorial gesture, presentation, painting and active participation of the audience were all combined to create an installation, or rather a 'Makin sense event'. Lorna Collins held a presentation exploring why and how art is able to help us think about 'territory'. At the same time Xena Lee created a charcoal drawing in response to Collins' presentation. During this dialogue between Collins and Lee the audience were invited to make a simple mark on a transparency sheet in reaction to the performance. The resulting artwork, in which the transparency sheets have been projected upon Lee's drawing, is thus a combination of presentation, painting and installation; involving active participation of speaker, painter and audience.
The performance encounters the rhizomatic connections across three plateaus of participation and method and tries to make sense of the heacceity of territory and art. By combining philosophy and art, or rather putting philosophy in praxis, and showing people how to engage with art, Collins and Lee open up a way of being in the world and making sense of it.
Fragile Lorna Collins is done with her presentation.
Xena Lee territorializes the painting. One of the volunteers passes on more transparency sheets to her.
My modest contribution to the painting event: find the "lacy noodles with compressed spirals" chunk on the canvas.
13 July 2010. I want to forget running through the heavy rain in Amsterdam.
13 July 2010. I do not want to forget the most exciting panel session of the conference titled Trahir/Gilles Deleuze's Virtuality: René Lemieux's "The Guattarian Otherness: A Pharmakon for the Deleuzian Studies?"; Suzanne Hême de Lacotte "Gilles Deleuze's Iconoclasm?"; Flore Garcin-Marrou's "Gilles Deleuze and Theater, or The Philosophy and its 'Other'"; Cécile Voisset-Veysseyre's "The Amazonian in Questions: Monique Wittig or Gilles Deleuze?"; Fabrice Bourlez's "Deleuze and the Question of Gender"; Denis Viennet's "Virtual and Becoming-Other: The Question of Stranger in Deleuze". I have found a beautiful video on one of the webpages of the Chimères dedicated to Suzanne Hême de Lacotte's "Image Cinématographique et Image de la Pensée Philosophique".
I hope, Suzanne will not mind if I also publish the excerpt available on Chimères:
"[...] La rencontre de la philosophie et du cinéma est riche de perspectives, l'engouement pour l'entreprise de Deleuze, les perspectives théoriques qu'elle a fait naître et l'intérêt qu'elle continue à susciter en sont la preuve. Appréhender cette rencontre sous l'angle de l'image de la pensée permet de la resituer dans une ligne particulièrement philosophique et de poser la question de sa place dans l'œuvre deleuzienne.
La question de savoir s'il existe ou non une hiérarchie des disciplines chez Deleuze se pose au terme de cette réflexion. En tant que philosophe, il a affirmé l'autonomie de l'art, de la science et de la philosophie. Pour autant cette autonomie n'exclut aucunement, comme nous avons tenté de le montrer, que des ponts puissent être jetés entre cinéma et philosophie, que le cinéma « ait un rôle à jouer dans la naissance et la formation de cette nouvelle pensée, de cette nouvelle manière de penser. » Une ambiguïté demeure néanmoins au terme Cinéma : si la philosophie est bien posée comme devant faire la théorie - conceptuelle - de cette nouvelle pratique des images et signes qu'est le cinéma, les concepts qu'il suscite peuvent également être créés par les cinéastes eux-mêmes lorsqu'ils évoquent leur pratique : « en parlant ils deviennent autre chose, ils deviennent philosophes ou théoriciens. Ainsi, un double mouvement apparaît à l'occasion de ce détour par le cinéma : la philosophie est remise en centre pour gagner en autonomie, et dans le même temps, par un mouvement centripète, elle va se loger là où on ne l'attendait pas : chez des artistes qui la pratiquent sans le savoir, ou sans l'admettre."
Please, click on the links and check out the presenters' books (in French). Informative, interesting, at times, provoking, this penal session was my favourite.
My presentation was scheduled for the Digital Machines session at 11:30 chaired by Felicity Colman (!!!) Oh my, really? I did not recognize her. Now, when I am writing this blog-post, I am slowly realizing what a lucky ass I was to meet Felicity Colman in person and even receive a positive comment from her! Felicity Colman has many admirers. Some expressed their admiration by creating a Facebook group I'm in love with Felicity Colman ! In the age of Net, this might be considered as an ultimate expression of love, you know.
Dr Felicity Colman
Lecturer, Screen Studies
Qualifications
BA Design (UTS), BA ArtHis (Q'ld), MA VisCult (Monash), PhD Art History & Cinema (UniMelb)
Biography
Felicity Colman lectures in the Screen Studies program on questions of political aesthetics in relation to world cinemas, histories of world film theory, censorship and media, commodity cultures (including television), avant-garde and experimental screen media. She is engaged in research into various theories of epistemological modes of address – by creative praxis and by creative theory. Her research and teaching draws on on experimental and independent world cinemas, with a focus on art, independent, indigenous, militant, documentary and feminist work from around the globe. Felicity has published on aesthetics, gender issues, and contemporary art and cinema practices, with specific reference to Gilles Deleuze and Fèlix Guattari, in journals including Angelaki, Pli: Warwick Journal of Philosophy, Women: A Cultural Review, Reconstruction, and The Refractory. Prior to lecturing at the University of Melbourne, Felicity taught visual cultural theory, and screen techniques to filmmakers, art students, art teachers, and theory students at Swinburne University, Prahran, Melbourne, and at the Centre for Ideas, The Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne. Felicity also worked in the contemporary arts industry in Melbourne for several years, as a facilitator of artist run galleries, including STRIPP gallery in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Her doctoral thesis was on philosophies of temporality in Robert Smithson’s experimental work.
I will write about my own presentation at the 3rd Deleuze Conference in a separate blog-post. Let me introduce you to Bruno Lessard, the Canadian scholar who presented his paper titled "Claiming the Event: Deleuze, Foucault, and Digital Video". Those particularly interested in film theory and Gilles Deleuze’s work Cinema 2: The Time-Image, might be interested in "Missed Encounters: Film Theory and Expanded Cinema" by Bruno Lessard available at The Refractory.
The session Micropolitical Instances chaired by Claudia Mongini gathered philosophers and artists. The presentations were very informative and hard to digest (it was a very long conference day for everyone): Andre Dias' "To Have Done with the Possible: Involuntarism as the Other Side of Biopolitics" (Andre writes a cinema and contemporary culture Portuguese blog "Ainda não começámos a pensar / We have yet to start thinking"); Tina Rahimy's "Becoming-minority-in-language The political relevance of incomprehension"; Andrea Medjesi Jones "A Shock to Thought: Conditions of the Emerging Image" (I liked her paintings and the poster: "If You Look Hard You Look Hard"); Boram Jeong's "The Power of the False: Deleuzian Politico-aesthetics".
In the evening, I enjoyed observing the conference participants and organizers drinking sparkling wine and having sparkling conversations. There was something very special about this particular conference. I wish I could step forward and dance during Richard Pinhas' concert at the Expo Zaal in de Brakke Grond. I guess, Stijn, somehow noticed my unreserved admiration and asked me, "Why aren't you dancing?"
SCHIZOTROPE: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MARIE ZORN
The Schizotrope project was born out of a desire to honor Richard's friend, the noted philosopher Gilles Deleuze, who died in 1995. In 1998, Pinhas teamed up with French 'cyber-punk' author Dantec and Schizotrope came to North America in March 1999 for a series of shows. This album was compiled from tapes of these shows. Featuring Dantec reading from Deleuze’ works, accompanied by Pinhas playing guitar, with sound electronically modulated in real-time by various processors, this is a musically innovative, emotionally moving, and conceptually rich fusion of those disciplines closest to Pinhas’ heart.
14 July 2010. I woke up in my new cozy bed. My Eurocruiser cradle was off to Germany. It was my second time in Hotel Y-Boulevard. They have cheap and very cheap beds. This time, I paid 20 Euros per night. In August 2009, I paid just 9 Euros.
If you scrutinize the brochure of the Hotel Y-Boulevard, you will see what a beautiful hotel it used to be. Not anymore. But I still like this cheap hotel: they have snow white towels and clean bed sheets. In addition, they have a breakfast buffet. What else do I need? Well, probably, nice quiet room mates. I met nice people from Norway, USA, Canada and Mexico in two nights at Hotel Y-Boulevard. But when the guys started drinking whisky and smoking weed, I felt strange vibrations in the air. I did not want those dark vibrations, I wanted to run away. When you go to a conference or lecture in Amsterdam, this is always the case: tourists come to this city to get wasted and get high, and you have absolutely different priorities. I want to forget the tourists who come to Amsterdam and get stupidly lost in the Red Disctrict. There is so much more to Amsterdam than smoking pot. Now when you have seen the Red District, here are "10 Things to do in Amsterdam BESIDES Smoking Pot".
14 July 2010. I do not want to forget the early-morning conversation with Phillip X. I forgot to ask his full name. He was from Brazil. I asked him about the most beautiful places in Brazil, and he recommended Bonito ("The most beautiful place in the world!") and the beaches of Florianópolis. I looked up the pictures, and now I am dreaming of going to those places. Then Phillip and I hurried to different parallel sessions. I attended the Memorial Practices session moderated by Craig Lundy. Unfortunately, one of the presenters was absent. This leads me to the next sentence. Fortunately, we had more time for questions to the presenters Jean Hillier ("Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on: Taking a Heritage Rollercoaster ride with Deleuze"), Victoria Browne ("Histories of Feminism as a Place of Immanence: Methodological Explorations in Histroriography and Archival Practice") and Zsuzsa Baross (I cannot recollect the title of her presentation, she changed the original title "159+1 Variations, or Painting Becoming Music").
I was undecided between the session Deleuze/Guattari in (Neo) Material Software Cultures and the Dutch movie The One All Alone in Eye Film Institute at the Vondelpark. And I attended the panel session, missing the last chance to watch the film. This session was extremely useful for my own PhD thesis chapter about the maps of blogosphere. I kept on making notes like crazy. I met Jussi Parikka, Director of CoDE - The Cultures of the Digital Economy-institute at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge ("Does Software Have Affects, or, What Can a Digital Body of Code Do?"). Seb Franklin's presentation "The Executable Image: Deleuze, Cinema and Software Studies" sparked a discussion between the film industry practitioners. Tero Karppi's "How to Disappear Completely? Disconnecting As an Act of Resistance Against Social Networks" evoked an overwhelming response from the audience not aware of the existance of the so-called Web 2.0 suicide machines. It was my top 2 favourite session in Oudemanhuispoort.
In the closing key lecture "Vegetable Locomotion: A Deleuzian Ethics/Aesthetics of Traveling Plants", Laura Marks imaginatively explored the journeys of plants across gardens, fields, continents and--figuratively--over houses of Amsterdam, Islamic mosques and Caucasian carpets...
So many important things happened. And yes, Craig Saper, I am afraid you are right. I am afraid to forget these trivial (for you) important (for me) things, and I need technologies helping cope with this anxiety, the anxiety of a [potential] loss:
The blog style disarmingly unstudied and sincere does not march together even within a single site never mind among countless others; efforts to constellate blogs as a pattern creates an anxiety of a loss that has already occurred and continues to reinforce the fading subject even as countless subjects tell the often mundane and trivial details of their lives. In Jungian psychoanalysis, the oceanic moment of recognizing yourself as a speck in the universe becomes key to an abreaction and personal epiphany of seeing your site as part of a larger whole. The blogs and other technologies of forgetting keep deferring the archetypal closure even as it keeps insinuating itself not as the links that connect all of us, but the loss and forgetting in an unstriated space without completion. Some will bemoan the sacrifice. Others will mourn in recounting in real time every absolutely specific detail allowing for a forgetting unbounded by remembering.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Students Present Blog-Projects in Class (Part I)
8:30-10:00. Four groups of students presented final versions of their blog-projects in class today. Then the students voted for the best blog project. So here I am announcing the winner:
Congratulations, bloggers Caroline and Marie!
Your blog
German and American Election Coverage/How the Foreign Media Reports on Elections got most of the votes!
Here is what the authors of the blog write about themselves and their blog-project:
Marie digged the web for the American news articles covering the German Bundestag elections (2009), while Caroline consulted the mainstream German news outlets covering the U.S. Presidential elections (2008). The blog is successful in it’s content and presentation. Free of hype-filled or flashy stuff, the blog is informative and interesting due to a careful selection of pictures and videos enhancing the chunks of texts.
The blog has a community-building potential. The audience which might benefit from reading this particular blog is, most apparently, the American and German student body; and anyone else searching for information about the most recent American and German elections in English.
Even if it is doomed to get frozen out there, in the large blogosphere---it will not lose its worth. But I sincerely hope this blog will not be abandoned. I hope Marie and Caroline will keep in touch and enrich the blog!
Once again, congratulations on successful completion of the course!
---
Now let me introduce German and American 3rd Party Policies. This blog-project was voted the second best today. In terms of design and visualisations, it is notoriously ascetic. No pictures, no videos---focus on the issues, instead.
Briefly about the ThirdPartyBlogger:
The American and German ThirdPartyBloggers selected three American and three German minor parties for their analysis. Why would anyone care about the minor parties in the U.S. and Germany?
American ThirdPartyBlogger writes:
In the light of the recent events, Americans and the American news media became more interested in the third parties ("Time for a Third Party" by Douglas E. Schoen of Politico). In Germany, the voters dissatisfied with the dominant parties, started paying more attention to the minor parties. For example, in 2009, the Left and the Greens made larger gains than ever and got safely into the Bundestag. More and more third parties have sprung up in the U.S. and Germany recently. The third American and German parties selected for this particular blog-project have a rather long history, though.
The German ThirdPartyBlogger writes:
The German and American 3rd Party Policies blog will definately meet the needs of a content-oriented reader. This blog is unique due to the research work done. So far, it is the only one of its kind in terms of the content, and, I hope, the blog will not be abandoned.
My congratulations, ThirdPartyBloggers, with a successful completion of the blog-project!
---
Big thanks to the BP eco-blog and Religion during the elections 2008 and 2009 blog, which I would describe as a socio-political.
I am looking forward to the next class, which will take place next Saturday at 9 a.m. (room 0.406, Amerikanistik, Kulturwissenschaften, TU Dortmund).
Congratulations, bloggers Caroline and Marie!
Your blog
German and American Election Coverage/How the Foreign Media Reports on Elections got most of the votes!
Here is what the authors of the blog write about themselves and their blog-project:
We are two students in the "Did Angie Learn From Obama" Seminar at TU Dortmund and this, our blog project, features the media coverage of both the American 2008 Presidential Election and the German 2009 Bundestag elections. Marie will discuss and analyize the American Media coverage of the German elections and Caroline will do the same for the German media coverage of the American Presidential race.
Marie digged the web for the American news articles covering the German Bundestag elections (2009), while Caroline consulted the mainstream German news outlets covering the U.S. Presidential elections (2008). The blog is successful in it’s content and presentation. Free of hype-filled or flashy stuff, the blog is informative and interesting due to a careful selection of pictures and videos enhancing the chunks of texts.
The blog has a community-building potential. The audience which might benefit from reading this particular blog is, most apparently, the American and German student body; and anyone else searching for information about the most recent American and German elections in English.
Even if it is doomed to get frozen out there, in the large blogosphere---it will not lose its worth. But I sincerely hope this blog will not be abandoned. I hope Marie and Caroline will keep in touch and enrich the blog!
Once again, congratulations on successful completion of the course!
---
Now let me introduce German and American 3rd Party Policies. This blog-project was voted the second best today. In terms of design and visualisations, it is notoriously ascetic. No pictures, no videos---focus on the issues, instead.
Briefly about the ThirdPartyBlogger:
Two students. One male. One female. One American. One German. Both interested in politics. There you go.
The American and German ThirdPartyBloggers selected three American and three German minor parties for their analysis. Why would anyone care about the minor parties in the U.S. and Germany?
American ThirdPartyBlogger writes:
In this blog I will be discussing three Political Parties of the United States of America. However they will be the Constitution Party, the Communist Party and the Pacifist Party. Such third parties are often ignored by the mainstream media and rely on the internet to get their views out to the public.
In the light of the recent events, Americans and the American news media became more interested in the third parties ("Time for a Third Party" by Douglas E. Schoen of Politico). In Germany, the voters dissatisfied with the dominant parties, started paying more attention to the minor parties. For example, in 2009, the Left and the Greens made larger gains than ever and got safely into the Bundestag. More and more third parties have sprung up in the U.S. and Germany recently. The third American and German parties selected for this particular blog-project have a rather long history, though.
The German ThirdPartyBlogger writes:
In this blog I would like to focus on three of the so called German ''3rd parties''. Throughout the next weeks I will present their policies regarding immigration, education, taxation etc. Today I would like to start with a brief introduction of the parties, which belong to very different political camps:
1. Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands (National Democratic Party of Germany), NPD (...)
2. Deutsche Kommunistische Partei (German Communist Party), DKP (...)
3. Partei Bibeltreuer Christen (Party of Bible-Abiding Christians), PBC
The German and American 3rd Party Policies blog will definately meet the needs of a content-oriented reader. This blog is unique due to the research work done. So far, it is the only one of its kind in terms of the content, and, I hope, the blog will not be abandoned.
My congratulations, ThirdPartyBloggers, with a successful completion of the blog-project!
---
Big thanks to the BP eco-blog and Religion during the elections 2008 and 2009 blog, which I would describe as a socio-political.
I am looking forward to the next class, which will take place next Saturday at 9 a.m. (room 0.406, Amerikanistik, Kulturwissenschaften, TU Dortmund).
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Response to the Article "Kyrgyzstan: Stalin's harvest" (The Economist, June 17, 2010)
I enjoyed reading the comments on "Kyrgyzstan: Stalin's Harvest" posted by The Economist members. You still have time to contribute to a discussion. Please, take advantage of this opportunity if you have something to say.
In this blog-post, I would like to publish several comments from the mentioned on-line discussion on The Economist website. I think, the comments below shed light on the several aspects of the problem, which The Economist article did not embrace.
My contribution to the discussion was modest. I just wanted to point at the problem with the reference to Stalin. To me, it was a bit of a clumsy approach:
In this blog-post, I would like to publish several comments from the mentioned on-line discussion on The Economist website. I think, the comments below shed light on the several aspects of the problem, which The Economist article did not embrace.
The Economist
"Kyrgyzstan: Stalin's harvest
The latest outbreak of violence in the ethnic boiling-pot of Central Asia will take generations to heal"
Comment 3.
Ikarian wrote:
Jun 17th 2010 7:58 GMT
It (Kyrgyzstan) is as much Stalin's as Pakistan was Britain's until the US Big Brother stepped in and armed the first with nukes to keep India in check, and now delves in Indian affairs since she came loose from the Russian or Stalin's influence as you put in, at top Caste level only of course.
Very little is whispered about our reveared nuclear overseer, the US and its continuing and expanding role in the Manat (should be spelled Manas) 'transit' base and the level of undercover involvement in all this destabilization.
US experience not to say severe interference uninteruptedly since 1945, further west, in Turkey, Cyprus, and Greece comes readily to mind, not to mention Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia to the south, without leaving out the ubiquitous proxy and much valued Israel, may something to learn from.
A case of Huntington's decease of the War of Civilizations'?
Comment 6.
pasam wrote:
Jun 18th 2010 9:30 GMT
It is quite in order to blame Stalin or the Communist Party of the Soviet Union for not subdividing Kyrgyzstan on the basis of ethnic populations if that was possible BUT what is important is that IT IS NOT LATE EVEN NOW without simply blaming Stalin. We need to appreciate that unlike other imperial powers like Britain, The Soviet Union was divided into Republics on the basis of Nations and Nationalities to a very high degree so much so that WHEN THE SOVIET UNION COLLAPSED, all the Republics started running their administration very smoothly from day one. I am not quite familiar with the population distribution inside Kyrgystan to suggest new Nations although I have absolutely no objection. WHAT SURPRISES ME MOST is why Britain is not being blamed for for the very much more serious errors in drawing boundaries in its former colonies LIKE SRI LANKA AND A DICTATOR IN SRI LANKA WORSE THAN ANYONE IN CENTRAL ASIA OR ANYWHERE ELSE is being protected by all the democracies in the world. The truth is National Liberation which has been spptessed by traditional imperialist powers as well as Social imperialism like the Soviet Union and now by those Nations who have been given powers of countries drawn by arbitary borders as in Sri Lanka, India and the like, should be allowed to flower INSTEAD OF BEING SUPPRESSED AS FIGHTING TERRORISM. This is not happening because ALL THE CURRENT MULTIPOLAR POWERS want only stability to exploit resources needed for their own development AND DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE NATIONS BEING SUPPRESSED. The need of the hour is completion of National Liberation and for that all Nations without State need to unite AND THAT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY ALL THOSE WHO LOVE CIVILISATION AND HUMANITY
Comment 8.
Mayilone wrote:
Jun 19th 2010 12:17 GMT
The situation in Kyrgystan is something very familiar to any Sri Lankan which land too has experienced a series of pogroms in the past the last of which was in 1983. A temporary halt to that series arose as a result of increasing resistance by the oppressed nationality, the Tamils. The signs are that these pograoms will start all over again with the decimation of the LTTE leadership.
Stability can never be imposed. It should arise naturally with harmony being established among different nationalities. A part of the problem is that world continues to revolve on the basis of borders of nations drawn by colonial and other 'powers' disrespecting individual national identities. For example the Kurds are an ancient nationality. Why are they not having or not being permitted to have a State that they could call their own? Is that being done in the name of 'stability'? Why does Kashmir remain an occupied territory since the dawn of 'independence' to India and Pakistan? Why have the Eelam Tamils in their hundreds of thousands being confined to 'camps' and restriced territories? Why does the Sri Lankan government deny the holocaust it carried out against the Eelam Tamils?
Only a deeper analysis of the issues involved will lead to the correct answer!
My contribution to the discussion was modest. I just wanted to point at the problem with the reference to Stalin. To me, it was a bit of a clumsy approach:
Comment 18.
Svetlana Makeyeva wrote:
Jun 29th 2010 7:03 GMT
I am from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Currently, I am studying in Germany.
"Stalin's harvest"... One should say, this logical link between Stalin's decision to divide the region into different Soviet republics and the current turmoil in Kyrgyzstan might not be apparent to the citizens of Kyrgyzstan. First of all, we were taught at school that it was Lenin's idea. (In Kyrgyzstan, iron Lenin can be still seen in many places, NOT STALIN). Second of all, we approach the issue from a different angle: a) it was a blessing to become a sovereign republic; b) it is a failure of OUR GOVERNMENT to make the best of our independence! So, it might appear awkward to talk about Stalin's ghost right now. But The Economist makes a good point: we are living our post-Soviet nightmare.
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