More embassies advise expats to be ready to leave
By Michel Cousins, Arab News Staff
JEDDAH, 4 February 2003 — Spain has become the latest country to advise its citizens in Saudi Arabia to apply for exit/re-entry visas “in case they have to be evacuated.” The move, however, is purely precautionary, according to a Spanish Embassy official in Riyadh.
Spain has been following developments in regard to Iraq, he said, and nothing has happened to make it change its policy. But it was prudent to advise its citizens to get exit/re-entry visas now. It would also allow the Saudi authorities time to process them, he added.
Last week, Germany and Belgium advised their citizens to obtain exit/re-entry visas so that they could leave the country if necessary.
“It’s just a precautionary measure,” a German Embassy spokesman told Arab News. “We don’t think that they will need it, but we have to make contingency plans.”
The Canadian Embassy in Riyadh is giving the same advice. Family travel documents should be in order and valid for six months, an embassy official said.
“All Canadians should be able to travel on short notice if need be,” he said.
However, not all Western governments are saying the same. A divergence of views, even among EU embassies, has become apparent. Last week, the British Embassy in Riyadh advised its citizens to ensure that dependents have exit/re-entry visas, but the advice is not being given to Britons working in the Kingdom. “That would send the wrong message at the moment,” a British diplomat told Arab News.
The Netherlands takes an even more sanguine view, although two months ago a Dutch family were lucky to escape unhurt when a bomb placed under their car in Jeddah failed to detonate.
According to a Dutch consular official in Jeddah, there has been no decision to advise Dutch citizens on exit/re-entry visas. It is up to people themselves to make up their own minds, he said. The advice to Dutch citizens remains that they should be vigilant.
The advice from the Australian Embassy is the same. “There is no reason why people should not be prepared if they are nervous,” an embassy official told Arab News, “but we’re not advising people that they ought to get exit/re-entry visas right now.”
The US is being more bullish. On Friday, the State Department agreed to fly home the dependents of American diplomatic staff in the Kingdom should they wish to leave. It also recommended private US citizens in the country to look to their own security situations and consider leaving, “especially given increased flight availability at a time of high demand related to school holidays and the Haj.”
It also warned Americans about travelling to the Kingdom in the light of terrorist threats and attacks against US citizens in the region. The same warnings have been given to US citizens and diplomatic staff in Kuwait.
