Russia Begins Evacuating Citizens from Lebanon
Russia began evacuating its citizens from Lebanon. Yesterday, at least 400 people fled by busses from Beirut to Syrian Latakia. Meanwhile, Israel declared readiness for political settlement for the first time during a week of bombing.
Russia’s embassy in Beirut became a sort of evacuation center not only for the Russians but also for residents of CIS constantly living in Lebanon. The first group of 300 evacuees left Beirut yesterday morning. Though Russia’s embassy in Tel-Aviv preliminary agreed on the route with Israeli authorities and was told there would be no air attacks in this destination, the word “Russia” was painted on roof of each of five busses, just to be on the safe side.
The column headed for Tripoli and then to Syrian border, where the officers of Russia’s consulate general met the evacuees to accompany them to Latakia airport. In the afternoon, two more busses with evacuees fled from Beirut.
“In the first place, we evacuate the southerners, women with babies and small children, pregnant women,” said Alexey Solomatin, temporary charge d’affaires of Russia. A thousand people will board 20 busses Wednesday to depart from Beirut to Latakia. In the next move, the evacuees will catch flights to Moscow, the planes are provided by the Emergency Ministry of Russia.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of July 19, 2006
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