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)
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Source: Voice of America
.