By Zahi Hawass This is a story that I hope everyone will read, to see how we are treated by some foreign countries. We want to give notice to everyone that we deal with countries one to one; we treat them well, and expect to be treated well in return. The story began when I was invited to give a lecture at the British Museum and also to hold a book signing for my recently- published book, which I consider my greatest, called A Secret Voyage. I asked my assistant Nashwa to arrange for me to get a visa from the British Embassy. She arranged with someone at the ambassador's office for me to get a visa, and advised me that I should use the special passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because with this passport I would not need to pay the fee usually requested by the embassy. Nashwa arranged for me to go to a branch of the British Embassy in Zamalek, where someone would meet me and guide me through the process of getting the visa. When I arrived in the building I introduced myself to the security officers and told them that there was supposed to be someone to meet me. There was no official there to greet me, however, and security began to search me -- maybe they thought I looked like a suspicious person, or someone wanted by the British authorities. They took my mobile phone and put in a holding locker and gave me a key. I have to say that I have never in my life felt insulted like this. I felt as if the ambassador of England himself had requested that I should be treated like this. I considered leaving and not getting a visa, but then I thought about what would happen to the people in London who were waiting to hear my lecture at the British Museum. The lecture was sold out and I had scheduled other lectures at the Liberal Club and the Reform Club, and I did not want to disappoint these people. At that moment came the man who was supposed to meet me. He seemed like a cold man -- he even did not welcome me, but took me with a police escort to another room, where I met a woman. The woman asked me a foolish question, if I had filled out all the information by myself, and I told her this question should not be asked of a person like me. She said that I would have to sit and wait until they called me. At this point I told her I would leave and not get the visa. The women felt bad, and explained that these were standing orders, that everyone was treated the same way. I think this means they treat all of us like suspected terrorists. Then she arranged the next meeting for me so I would not have to sit and wait. I came for the second meeting, but it was also strange because the woman asked to scan the fourth fingers and thumbs of my hands. If you were a terrorist you would not allow that. Then they asked me to pay LE290 because they gave me the "VIP treatment", but I could not accept this. I felt that had treated me badly, not like a VIP at all. When I returned to my office I told my secretary the story, and she called the ambassador's secretary to explain what had happened. The ambassador never called back to offer any explanation or apology, but later his secretary did call to say they had given me a visa for two years. But I do not want this, because I do not think I will visit England again after this. We are the ones who are nice to people who do not deserve special treatment. What happened to me at the British Embassy has never happened in any other embassy. America, France, Germany, Japan, and all other countries treat us with respect. I believe that the British ambassador does not understand us, and furthermore does not care. I remember the time that Barry Kemp, an English Egyptologist who was excavating at Tel Al-Amarna, the city of Akhenaten, told me that the British ambassador and his family were planning to visit his excavations and would stay at the excavation house. I welcomed this and made all the arrangements to make their visit comfortable, and instructed all of my people to give the ambassador anything he needed. We went out of our way to treat them well, and now they returned our courtesy by treating me as if I were a suspicious character. We have always treated our British diplomatic colleagues well, and we expect the same courtesy and respect in return. I say that people should expect to be treated one by one: that is, we will treat them as they treat us.
