THE GUARDIAN: Britons should avoid nonessential travel, says Hague, but government does not offer to evacuate those already there
International alarm about the political and security implications of continuing unrest in Egypt intensified tonight as the United States, Israel and Turkey sent aircraft to evacuate their stranded citizens, and other countries advised their nationals to get out by any means possible.
Britain's foreign secretary, William Hague, said UK nationals should avoid nonessential travel to large cities such as Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. But the government did not offer to help evacuate those already there. They should leave by commercial flights unless they had vital reasons for remaining, Hague said.
The situation in Egypt's Red Sea resorts, where most Britons are staying, remained calm, he added. "We will watch over it very, very carefully, I'm sending extra resources to our embassy there."
The US government announced an immediate airlift for all Americans wishing to leave. "The department of state is making arrangements to provide transportation to safe haven locations in Europe," it said. Airlifts were also announced by Turkey and Israel.
Hague said Britain was concerned that Egypt could fall into the hands of extremists, but would not intervene directly. "What matters is that the process [of political reform] takes place, whatever that means for President Mubarak personally," he told Sky News. "It is important for him to initiate that transformation and broadly based government, and that is what we would like to see. That is far preferable of course to Egypt falling into the hands of extremism or a more authoritarian system of government." US, Israel and Turkey evacuate citizens from Egypt >>> Simon Tisdall | Sunday, January 30, 2011
