DATE=9/25/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239251
TITLE=RUSHDIE PRESS CONFERENCE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=PAUL FRANCUCH
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: BRITISH AUTHOR SALMAN RUSHDIE, LIVING IN HIDING FOR MOST
OF THE PAST DECADE, MET A GROUP OF REPORTERS IN LONDON FRIDAY.
THE MEETING FOLLOWS BY ONE DAY BRITAIN AND IRAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT TO
RESTORE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, FOLLOWING IRAN'S DECISION TO
DISASSOCIATE ITSELF FROM THE DEATH EDICT AGAINST MR. RUSHDIE
ISSUED BY THE LATE AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI. MORE FROM VOA'S PAUL
FRANCUCH IN LONDON.
TEXT: IT WAS MORE THAN NINE YEARS AGO WHEN SALMAN RUSHDIE'S
CONTROVERSIAL NOVEL "THE SATANIC VERSES" APPEARED IN BOOKSTORES
IN BRITAIN AND MUCH OF THE WEST -- BUT WAS SUBJECT TO BANS IN
MUCH OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD. IRAN'S AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI CALLED THE
NOVEL BLASPHEMOUS, AND ISSUED A "FATWA" -- A CALL ON MUSLIMS
EVERYWHERE TO KILL MR. RUSHDIE FOR HIS INSULTING WORK. THE FATWA
ALSO CARRIED A BOUNTY EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT TWO-AND-A-HALF MILLION
DOLLARS.
BRITAIN BROKE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH IRAN IN RESPONSE TO THE
FATWA. AND WHILE THIS THURSDAY'S AGREEMENT WHICH RESTORED THOSE
RELATIONS HAS IRAN'S PRESENT-DAY LEADERSHIP DISASSOCIATING ITSELF
FROM THE DEATH EDICT, IT ADDS THEY CANNOT RESCIND THE DECREE
ENTIRELY.
NEVERTHELESS, A DELIGHTED SALMAN RUSHDIE TOLD REPORTERS IN LONDON
THAT UNTIL HE HEARD DETAILS OF THE DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS
THURSDAY FROM A TOP BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIAL, HE WAS
SOMEWHAT LEERY ABOUT STEPPING OUT INTO THE PUBLIC EYE.
/// RUSHDIE ACT ///
... AND HE SAID THAT I CAN ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEE THAT
THIS IS A DEAL WHICH THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT IS
COMPLETELY COMMITTED TO. FOR THEM TO HAVE STOOD UP AT
THE UNITED NATIONS IN FRONT OF THE WORLD'S MEDIA AND
MADE THIS SOLEMN COMMITMENT IS SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US
(RUSHDIE SUPPORTERS) EVER EXPECTED THEY WOULD. AND IT
WAS NOT EASY FOR IRAN TO DO THIS.
///END ACT///
MR. RUSHDIE SAYS THAT BEYOND HIS OWN LIFE, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
AND SPEECH BECAME VICTIMIZED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE "SATANIC
VERSES." HE MOURNED THE LOSS OF SCORES OF LIVES BY PEOPLE WHO
BOTH HELPED PUBLISH AND DEMONSTRATED AGAINST THE PUBLICATION OF
HIS NOVEL -- MANY, HE BELIEVES, WHO HAD LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF
EITHER HIM OR THE MESSAGE OF HIS BOOK.
///SECOND RUSHDIE ACT// 000
LET US NOT FORGET THAT THIS HAS BEEN A DREADFUL EVENT,
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ALSO HOW SORROWFUL I FEEL ABOUT
ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DIED IN DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE
"SATANIC VERSES," PARTICULARLY IN THE SUBCONTINENT OF
INDIA. I FEEL IN MANY CASES IT'S EMERGED THAT THEY
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO THEY WERE DEMONSTRATING AGAINST OR
WHY.
/// END ACT ///
AUTHOR SALMAN RUSHDIE PLANS TO REMAIN CAUTIOUS WHILE IN PUBLIC,
BUT HE WON'T HAVE THE BRITISH STATE SECURITY PROTECTION, WHICH
KEPT HIM LARGELY IN HIDING FOR MOST OF THE PAST DECADE. HE TOLD
REPORTERS THAT HE WISHED TO SOMEDAY RETURN TO HIS NATIVE INDIA --
THE FIRST COUNTRY TO BAN "THE SATANIC VERSES." HE'S BEEN DENIED
A TRAVEL VISA SINCE THEN -- SOMETHING MR. RUSHDIE SAYS HAS BEEN
OF GREAT GRIEF AND PAIN TO HIM, BUT SOMETHING HE HOPES WILL BE
RAPIDLY REVERSED. (SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/KL
25-Sep-98 10:51 AM EDT (1451 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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