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Foreign Office warns against travel to parts of Egypt Foreign Office warns against travel to parts of Egypt
(about 9 hours later)
The UK Foreign Office has advised Britons against all but essential travel to several cities in Egypt due to ongoing anti-government protests.The UK Foreign Office has advised Britons against all but essential travel to several cities in Egypt due to ongoing anti-government protests.
It warned against travel to Cairo and the tourist centre of Luxor, as well as Alexandria and Suez, but says transit through Cairo airport is unaffected.It warned against travel to Cairo and the tourist centre of Luxor, as well as Alexandria and Suez, but says transit through Cairo airport is unaffected.
Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt told the BBC that an evacuation was not currently being considered.
David Cameron earlier called for reform in the north African country.David Cameron earlier called for reform in the north African country.
The prime minister said he hoped the violence would stop but it was clear people had "grievances and problems". The prime minister said: "I don't think it's in anyone's interest that people are being killed on the streets of Egypt as we speak, and so I hope the violence will cease.
Meanwhile, demonstrators gathered at the Egyptian embassy in London in a show of solidarity.
'Stronger democracy'
Mr Cameron said: "I think what we need is reform in Egypt. We support reform and progress in the greater strengthening of their democracy and civil rights and the rule of law.
"Clearly there are grievances that people have and they need to be met and matched.
On the freezing cold streets of London's West End far from Cairo about 30 demonstrators protested against Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak.
The numbers outside the Egyptian embassy may not have been great but they made up for it with loud chanting and colourful placards, berating the 82-year-old president.
One demonstrator told me: "We're standing shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Egypt. Thirty years is too long. Enough is enough."
The crowd was made up mainly of young men, many of them students in jeans, but there were also several women.
Most of the slogans were simply calling for elections and the removal of the embattled Egyptian leader.
A solitary policeman kept watch but did not need to intervene as the protesters made their point peacefully.
"I don't think it's in anyone's interest that people are being killed on the streets of Egypt as we speak, and so I hope the violence will cease.
"But clearly, when you have people who have grievances and problems that want them responded to, it's in all our interests that these countries have stronger rule of law, stronger rights, stronger democracy.""But clearly, when you have people who have grievances and problems that want them responded to, it's in all our interests that these countries have stronger rule of law, stronger rights, stronger democracy."
The href="http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/egypt" >Foreign Office has advised UK nationals in the country to track events closely on television and abide by a state-imposed curfew. Meanwhile, demonstrators gathered at the Egyptian embassy in London on Friday in a show of solidarity.
"If you are already in Egypt, you are strongly advised to stay put," it said. "We are not, at present, advising British nationals to leave the country." 'Perfectly safe'
Foreign Secretary William Hague said the safety of British nationals was "absolutely paramount". The href="http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/egypt" >Foreign Office altered its travel advice for Egypt on Friday, and stressed that the warning in place for Cairo also extended to Giza, a suburb of the capital where Egypt's most famous Pyramids and Sphinx are located.
"In light of the ongoing demonstrations in Egypt we have carefully reviewed our advice and now advise against all but essential travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Suez.
"This does not affect transits through Cairo airport for onward travel to other destinations, and it does not cover Egypt's Red Sea resorts."
More than a million UK citizens visit Egypt annually but the majority head to Red Sea resorts including Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada - a considerable distance from Cairo.More than a million UK citizens visit Egypt annually but the majority head to Red Sea resorts including Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada - a considerable distance from Cairo.
Abta, the organisation formerly known as the Association of British Travel Agents, said it had not heard of any reports of British package tourists being affected by the unrest but said some tour operators had cancelled trips as a precaution. Mr Burt told BBC Radio 5 live on Saturday that Britons should avoid crowds and demonstrations and monitor the Foreign Office website for updates.
Travel firm Thomas Cook said it had cancelled all excursions to Cairo this weekend from the Red Sea resorts. But it said flights were operating in and out of Sharm El Sheikh airport as normal this weekend. But he said: "There's no evacuation being considered at the moment. Of course, the UK has contingency plans available for circumstances like this, but there's no judgement made by people on the ground that that situation has yet arisen.
British Airways has warned of changes to flight schedules to Cairo because of a curfew imposed in the capital. "Our understanding is that transit through Cairo airport is fine and those who've got destinations on the Red Sea... we're still saying that appears to be perfectly safe enough to go."
'Legitimate grievances' Mr Burt reiterated the prime minister's call for Egypt's rulers to begin the process of political reform, and to use restraint when dealing with demonstrators.
Earlier on Friday, around 30 people gathered at the Egyptian embassy in London in a show of solidarity with the protests against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. "Violence directed towards peaceful protesters has always got to be wrong," he added.
Abta, the organisation formerly known as the Association of British Travel Agents, said it had not heard of any reports of British package tourists being affected by the unrest but some tour operators had cancelled trips as a precaution.
Travel firm Thomas Cook said it had cancelled all excursions to Cairo this weekend from the Red Sea resorts, but its flights were operating in and out of Sharm El Sheikh airport as normal.
Christian Cull, a spokesman for Thomson and First Choice, said they were operating the same policy.
"Almost all our customers are down in Sharm El Sheikh, and that is at least an eight-hour drive away from Cairo," he told the BBC.
"We aren't currently operating any excursions into Cairo... and obviously we monitor things on an ongoing basis, but it's a long way from Sharm, which is very heavily protected and is very safe, and our customers are all fine."
British Airways has warned of changes to flight schedules to Cairo because of the curfew imposed in the capital.
Meanwhile, an EgyptAir flight from London Heathrow to Cairo was diverted to Athens after a note containing the word "bomb" was apparently found on board.
The Foreign Office said consular staff in the Greek capital had made the 50 British passengers aware of the latest travel advice. The passengers stayed in Athens overnight.
'No freedom'
On Friday, around 30 people gathered at the Egyptian embassy in London in a show of solidarity with the protests against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.
The campaigners, many of them London-based expatriates, gathered at the embassy in Mayfair, holding banners and chanting "down with Mubarak".The campaigners, many of them London-based expatriates, gathered at the embassy in Mayfair, holding banners and chanting "down with Mubarak".
Hisham Youssef, who lived in Cairo until two months ago, said the group wanted to speak on behalf of people in their country. Hisham Youssef, who lived in Cairo until two months ago, said the group wanted Egypt's president to stand down.
He said they were calling for Egypt's president to stand down.
"Thirty years of corruption. It used to be a different country. There is no freedom of speech," he said."Thirty years of corruption. It used to be a different country. There is no freedom of speech," he said.
"The system has to change, it is time for him to go. We are here to show solidarity with the people in Egypt.""The system has to change, it is time for him to go. We are here to show solidarity with the people in Egypt."