Turkey to help evacuation of foreigners in Egypt

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and other relevant institutions are making preparations at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport to help the citizens of third countries who would like to leave Egypt after six days of unrest in that country.

In a statement issued Monday, the Turkish MFA said that the evacuation of Turkish citizens from Egypt continued and Turkish diplomats from the Turkish Embassy in Cairo and Turkish Consulate General in Alexandria worked closely with officials from the Turkish Airlines (THY) in helping Turkish citizens.

In consideration of requests made to our Ministry or Turkish representations in Egypt, we are making preparations at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport to help the citizens of third countries. Within this frame, we are working on facilitating easier visas, letting diplomatic representatives have easier access to the Ataturk Airport and helping transit passengers, the MFA noted.

We have taken the necessary measures to plan "charter flights" to Turkey and other countries in case of a necessity, the MFA also said.

Turkish Airlines (THY) flew to Egypt on Sunday to bring out Turkish citizens after widespread protests left many people dead in the north African country.

THY sent five planes to Cairo and Alexandria to bring back nearly 1,200 Turkish citizens upon directives of the Prime Ministry Emergency and Crisis Management Authority and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Meanwhile, Turkey's relief agency, the Red Crescent, will send humanitarian aid to Egypt to be distributed to Turkish citizens who are waiting to be evacuated, and for the Turkish Embassy staff in Cairo. The one-ton aid including foodstuffs and potable water will be sent to Egypt by a THY plane.

More than 100 people have died in six days of unrest aimed at ending Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year-old rule.


/World Bulletin/