19 December 1998
TEXT: STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL WARNING ON SYRIA DEC. 19
(State warns US citizens to defer travel to Syria) (290) Washington -- The State Department has urged US citizens to defer nonessential travel to Syria and advised US citizens there to restrict their movements and "maintain a low profile." The Travel Warning issued December 19 also said that following a large demonstration in Damascus during which the US Embassy, the Ambassador's residence and USIS facilities were damaged, the embassy will be closed December 20. Following is the State Department text: (begin text) Travel Warning United States Department of State SYRIA December 19, 1998 The Department of State warns United States citizens to defer nonessential travel to Syria in light of U.S. military action undertaken against Iraq and the potential for retaliatory action. On December 19, a large demonstration was held at the US Embassy in Damascus. Demonstrators also protested at the Ambassador's residence, USIS, and the Damascus community school. All of these facilities sustained some damage. The U.S. Embassy in Damascus will be closed Sunday, December 20, 1998. In the event of an American citizen requiring emergency assistance, please call the American Embassy on (963) (11) 333-2814 or call (963) (11) 6l3-4593. American citizens in Syria are advised to limit their movement to the maximum extent possible. The embassy also urges that they maintain a low profile and be especially aware of their security posture until the conflict with Iraq is resolved. The U.S. Embassy in Damascus further urges that American citizens resident in Syria maintain contact with wardens while the embassy is closed. For further information on travel to Syria, please consult the department of State's latest consular information sheet for Syria. (end text)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
