Travel warnings for Middle East downgraded

The Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry today downgraded its warning on travel to parts of the Middle East.

Mfat said that while war in Iraq made travelling to the region dangerous, it had reduced the level of risk for trips to Bahrain, Iran, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Instead of warning against all travel to these countries, Mfat advised non-essential travel be deferred if people had concerns about their safety.

Mfat said New Zealanders should avoid all travel to Iraq, Israel ad the Palestinian Authority , Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and southeastern regions of Turkey.

"We continue to recommend departure from these countries. Some commercial air services have been disrupted or suspended and the ability of the Government to provide consular services or assist is limited.

"New Zealanders living in these countries should maintain a high level of vigilance, be security conscious, avoiding crowded or landmark places and places where westerners gather.

"They should be prepared to leave at short notice if the security situation deteriorates."

Mfat said New Zealanders travelling to Cyprus, Egypt, and western and central regions of Turkey, should exercise caution and make contingency arrangements if they had safety concerns.

- NZPA