I am extremely grateful to Phil for all of the time and effort he has put into 
assisting OSME over the years and find it very reassuring to know that we can 
call on him for a few wise words of advice should the need arise in the future. 
The other changes on Council which took place this year were the premature 
retirement of John Armitage, Mike Jennings, Hew Prendergast and Rob 
Morris due to pressure of work or, in Rob's case, an overseas posting. To all I 
extend my sincere thanks for their work on behalf of OSME. (5n the plus side, 
we welcome Pete Davidson who will be developing the Turkey Officer role 
into that of a wider Regional Information Officer, and Tony Morris who has 
taken on the key role of Secretary. 
Geoff Welch, Chairman of Council 
telephone: (0)1728 648298; fax: (0)1728 648529 or write c/o The Lodge. 
1995 Summer Meeting, 
Due to arrive in London. ..at.. .10. ...43.. On the day after the first rail strike of 
the summer the guard's announcement seemed rather hesitant but in the 
event I did arrive in good time at the new venue - the pleasantly appropriate 
School of Oriental and African Studies. 
Richard Porter opened with a succinct account of recent conservation news 
from the OSME region. Several countries have important projects in various 
stages of development and there appear to be many moves in the right direc- 
tion. The importance of baseline conservation studies being published in the 
local languages, especially Arabic, was stressed as was the necessity for gentle 
yet firm encouragement for countries to not merely sign international agree- 
ments but to ratify and begin to implement them. The hope was fervently 
expressed that countries such as Iran will soon be easier for birdwatchers to 
visit. 
Steve Parr thanked OSME for a modest grant which helped support his Lesser 
Kestrel survey in Turkey. I enjoyed the slides of the Turkish landscape and 
being familiar only with this species on migration was surprised to see slides 
of its nest sites beneath roof-tiles and down chimneys of remote rural villages. 
The assistance of Turkish students seemed essential to the successful imple- 
mentation of this project. 
The business of the AGM was efficiently dealt with (particularly the 
Statement of Accounts!) and was succeeded by a tasty pseudo-etl^nic luch 
with the finest glass of hot, sweet tea I'd tasted since I left Egypt a year ago. 
The selection of Middle Eastern bird books for sale, some just published, 
proved, alas irresistible. 
55 
