3 DECEMBER 1994, Page 41

Old Turks

Sir: Paul Johnson (And another thing, 8 October) airily portrays the Prime Minister of Turkey in an East End sodomy house. I believe he got his story from the book The Chanak Affair, but got it wrong: the man referred to in that book was Mr Bekir Sami, the Turkish negotiator in London, not the PM. Furthermore, in that book King George V was described as shocked rather than amused by this incident.

Remembering that Lloyd George was a rabid anti-Turk, this story was most proba- bly fabricated by him. In any case Mr Belch- Sami was never known in Turkey as an addict to the English vice.

I realise, however, that it is the national sport in England to make fun of foreigners.

Al/can Kizildel

Nenehatun Caddcsi 114, Gaziosmanpasa, Ankara, Turkey