FCO amends travel advice for Saudi Arabia and Algeria
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The London Correspondents Unit 14 July, 2004
The Foreign Office revised its Travel Advice for Saudi Arabia and Algeria. We are no longer advising against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia and against all holiday and non-essential travel to Algeria.
The decision to make these changes follows a Review of Travel Advice, which concluded that fewer such warnings should be issued. As the Foreign Secretary told Parliament on 22 June: 'In future in the case of intelligence-based terrorist threats, HMG will advise against travel to a specific country only in situations of extreme and imminent danger'. This means if the threat is sufficiently specific, large-scale or endemic to affect British nationals severely.
The threat against Western interests in Saudi Arabia and Algeria has not changed. The Travel Advice for Saudi Arabia maintains that there is a high risk from terrorism and that following attacks in May and June 2004, that we believe terrorists are planning further attacks, including against Westerners and places associated with Westerners.
The Travel Advice for Algeria maintains there is a continuing threat from terrorism in Algeria and that if you are planning a trip to Algeria you should be very careful about your personal security arrangements.
The Travel Advice summary for Saudi Arabia now reads: There is a continuing high threat of terrorism in Saudi Arabia. Following terrorist attacks in May and June 2004, we continue to believe that terrorists are planning further attacks, including against Westerners and places associated with Westerners in Saudi Arabia.
If you choose to travel to, or remain in, Saudi Arabia you should take all necessary steps to protect your safety and should make sure you have confidence in your individual security arrangements. You should maintain a high level of vigilance, particularly in public places frequented by foreigners. We have allowed non-essential staff and dependants at our missions in Saudi Arabia to leave if they wish. You should remember that Islamic law is strictly enforced in Saudi Arabia.We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.
The Travel Advice summary for Algeria now reads: There is a continuing threat from terrorism in Algeria. Algeria faces a serious internal security problem from terrorist insurgency. Travellers by road in northern Algeria are at risk of attack by terrorist groups. One of these groups recently issued an explicit threat to target non-Muslims. The kidnapping of a number of groups of foreign tourists in the desert and mountainous region of south-east Algeria in 2003, underlined the dangers to travellers in that region. If you are planning to travel to Algeria, you should be very careful about your personal security arrangements throughout your visit. Developments in the region could affect the security situation. You should check this web-site regularly for updated advice. Crimes against individuals, such as assaults and muggings, are on the increase in urban areas. We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Full details of the revised Travel Advice for Saudi Arabia and Algeria are available on the Foreign Office website (www.fco.gov.uk).
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