Foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) are to meet in
Brussels Monday to discuss the Middle East crisis and nationals
evacuation.
During the meeting, Javier Solana Madariaga, EU's foreign policy
and security chief, would brief the ministers on his talks with
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora in Beirut over the situation
in the region.
Over 100 Lebanese, mostly civilians, have been killed and
hundreds more injured in Israeli attacks since Israel launched a
massive assault in Lebanon after Hezbollah militia kidnapped two
Israeli soldiers and killed eight during cross-border clashes on
Wednesday.
In addition, the EU ministers are also to discuss the ongoing
efforts to evacuate European nationals from Lebanon.
France, Italy, Belgium and Britain have sent planes and boats to
help the voluntary evacuation of EU nationals.
The 25-nation bloc has criticized Israel's military attacks on
Lebanon, but it also called on Hezbollah to release the captured
soldiers "immediately and unconditionally" and to stop its attacks
on Israel.
Other nations' evacuation
Alson on Monday, the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut began
evacuating 40 Indonesian nationals to Damascus, Syria, following
continued attacks by Israel on the Lebanese capital.
The 40 Indonesians included family members of embassy staff,
children and female workers in the country, said The Jakarta
Post.
"We have decided to evacuate them to Damascus. We put women and
children as our top priority," Foreign Ministry spokesman Desra
Percaya was quoted as saying.
Desra said the embassy was maintaining contact with dozens of
other Indonesian nationals in the country to keep them informed of
the latest situation. Speaking about embassy staff members, he said
they would remain in Beirut until further notice.
"If security in Beirut worsens, all diplomats will be
evacuated," he said.
New Zealand is making plans to evacuate about 30 nationals known to
be in Lebanon, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said
Monday.
"Evacuation plans are being made as we speak," Peters, who is in
the United States for an official visit, told National Radio.
He said the New Zealand government will work with Britain and
France on getting New Zealanders out.
While the military crisis was causing problems, to move people
"as much as can be done is being done," he said.
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said Monday that the
British authorities looked after New Zealand's interests in
countries where it had no diplomatic post.
"We will need to be guided by them in their efforts to get out
the foreign nationals they're responsible for," she told the
Newstalk ZB radio network.
New Zealand officials are now contacting with many of the New
Zealanders in Lebanon for evacuation.
The Venezuelan government has begun to evacuate its citizens
from Lebanon as Israeli attacks on Hezbollah militants continued,
Venezuela's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
The announcement was made as Israel launched missiles at targets
across Lebanon, killing six people and wounding 33 others and
heightening tensions between Israel and Lebanon after Hezbollah
rockets struck new targets deeper inside Israel.
According to a statement released by the ministry, Venezuela's
diplomatic mission is working to facilitate the departure of its
citizens.
"The government of Venezuela shows solidarity with its nationals
who have relatives in Lebanese territory, but calls for calm," the
statement added.
8 Canadians killed in Lebanon
Eight Canadians were killed and six others seriously wounded in
an Israeli air raid that hit a Lebanese town on the border with
Israel on Sunday, the Canadian Foreign Ministry confirmed.
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said the wounded Canadians
were in critical condition after the town of Aitaroun was hit in
the fifth day of fighting between the Israeli military and the
Lebanese-based militant organization Hezbollah.
Some of the victims were from the same family and had come from
Canada to spend the summer holidays in Aitaroun, reports said.
In a statement released earlier Sunday, MacKay said Ottawa is
sending in commercial vessels to help any Canadian citizen who
wishes to leave Lebanon.
"We are securing commercial vessels and pre-positioning them off
the coast of Lebanon. We are also working to secure safe passage
for these vessels," said the statement.
Canada is also in the process of deploying additional support,
including a planning assistance team and more consular staff,
MacKay said.
The Canadian Foreign Affairs Department says 16,000 Canadians
have registered with the government to say they are in Lebanon,
while estimating that there are likely two to three times that many
in the country.
(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2006)
