There are currently around 300 Maltese citizens in Libya and most of them are relatively safe as they live and work around Tripoli, Foreign Minister Tonio Borg said today.

However, about 11 Maltese citizens are believed to be in the Benghazi region and according to Dr Borg “it is very difficult at the moment to get them out of there.”

“Our concern is mainly about the Maltese citizens in the Benghazi region as apparently the area is in complete anarchy. We would like to appeal to any Maltese not to go to that area and we are also trying to get these 11 people out, although this is proving to be very difficult at the moment.”

Asked whether Malta will be trying to evacuate its citizens, Minister Borg said that a government emergency committee has been set up at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and was following developments. He said that Malta’s aim was to assist all those Maltese who want to leave the country to be able to do so.

“We are not obliging anyone to leave as there are those who still feel its safe enough for them to stay. However we want to make sure that all those wanting to leave can do so.”

Dr Borg is currently participating in a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels with Libya dominating the agenda.

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