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ASMA AL-ASSAD'S INTERPRETER SEEKS SHELTER IN ARMENIA
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Sept 7 2013
YEREVAN - Hurriyet Daily News
by Vercihan Ziflioglu
An interpreter for the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,
Mihran Bertizlian, took shelter in Armenia four months ago in order
to secure his family's safety.
Asma al-Assad's interpreter, who is a Syrian citizen of Armenian
origin, told the Hurriyet Daily News in Armenia's capital Yerevan
that even though he tried not to flee Syria, he had to take shelter
temporarily to guarantee the safety of his family.
"I could not take even the smallest belongings with me when I was
leaving my house. I miss my house, Syria's air and water, and even
its beggars on the streets," Bertizlian said, adding that like most
of the Syrian Armenians, they wished that the war would end soon and
they could return home. "I am here temporarily. I do not feel that
I belong to Armenia."
Stating that Bashar al-Assad was a well-educated person, she said
that he had been tricked and "did not know what games were being
played in the lion's den," adding that Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan was also "another piece of the checkers." Bertizlian
said al-Assad had to do more for democracy but in comparison to his
father, Hafez al-Assad, he and his wife Asma had portrayed a different
profile in public. "I feel deeply sorry for what has been happening,"
the interpreter said.
Bertizlian said it was predictable before that relations between
Turkey and Syria would "not end positively," as relations between
the countries had only developed in a short span of time before the
civil war hit Turkey's neighbor.
"Relations between Syria and Iraq also developed very fast, but
then Syria shut down the border gate with Iraq all of a sudden. An
inscription stating that we were allowed to visit the entire Arab
world except Iraq was then included in our passports," Bertizlian said.
Commenting on Erdogan's earlier visit to the al-Assads when relations
were better, she said the meeting had been very positive and friendly
and shared an anecdote with the Daily News.
"There were 12 interpreters doing translations into different
languages. Prime Minister Erdogan was being introduced to the
interpreters, and I was forth in the line. He came toward me, I said my
name was Mihran, and even before I could say my last name he asked me,
'Are you Armenian?' He told me that he was happy to meet me. He was
really frank," said Bertizlian.
September/07/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/asma-al-assads-interpreter-seeks-shelter-in-armenia-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=54001&NewsCatID=352
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Sept 7 2013
YEREVAN - Hurriyet Daily News
by Vercihan Ziflioglu
An interpreter for the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,
Mihran Bertizlian, took shelter in Armenia four months ago in order
to secure his family's safety.
Asma al-Assad's interpreter, who is a Syrian citizen of Armenian
origin, told the Hurriyet Daily News in Armenia's capital Yerevan
that even though he tried not to flee Syria, he had to take shelter
temporarily to guarantee the safety of his family.
"I could not take even the smallest belongings with me when I was
leaving my house. I miss my house, Syria's air and water, and even
its beggars on the streets," Bertizlian said, adding that like most
of the Syrian Armenians, they wished that the war would end soon and
they could return home. "I am here temporarily. I do not feel that
I belong to Armenia."
Stating that Bashar al-Assad was a well-educated person, she said
that he had been tricked and "did not know what games were being
played in the lion's den," adding that Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan was also "another piece of the checkers." Bertizlian
said al-Assad had to do more for democracy but in comparison to his
father, Hafez al-Assad, he and his wife Asma had portrayed a different
profile in public. "I feel deeply sorry for what has been happening,"
the interpreter said.
Bertizlian said it was predictable before that relations between
Turkey and Syria would "not end positively," as relations between
the countries had only developed in a short span of time before the
civil war hit Turkey's neighbor.
"Relations between Syria and Iraq also developed very fast, but
then Syria shut down the border gate with Iraq all of a sudden. An
inscription stating that we were allowed to visit the entire Arab
world except Iraq was then included in our passports," Bertizlian said.
Commenting on Erdogan's earlier visit to the al-Assads when relations
were better, she said the meeting had been very positive and friendly
and shared an anecdote with the Daily News.
"There were 12 interpreters doing translations into different
languages. Prime Minister Erdogan was being introduced to the
interpreters, and I was forth in the line. He came toward me, I said my
name was Mihran, and even before I could say my last name he asked me,
'Are you Armenian?' He told me that he was happy to meet me. He was
really frank," said Bertizlian.
September/07/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/asma-al-assads-interpreter-seeks-shelter-in-armenia-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=54001&NewsCatID=352