Australian Diplomats from Libya Withdrawn

Added by David Sandercock on February 27, 2011

Australian diplomats located in Libya have been withdrawn after violence in the area has determined the United Nations to sanction the regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said today that the Australian consular staff was evacuated to Malta since Tripoli was no longer safe after violent attack on anti-regime protesters.

The Australian Prime Minister told Nine Network that Tom Yates, the consul general, and two other consular staff officials were sent to Malta, after other countries such as Britain, Canada and the United States have recently evacuated their diplomats from Libya.

According to Kevin Rudd, the Foreign Minister, there are still 13 Australians located in Libya at the moment.

Mr Rudd said that out of the 13 remaining Australians, some have made their own arrangements to leave the country in the following days, whereas others have decided to stay.

The Foreign Minister told ABC TV that there still are “real concerns about an Australian citizen who was put under arrest only a couple of days ago”.

The unilateral sanctions imposed by the Australian government against Gadaffi’s regime forbid Libya’s current leader and a number of 21 of his cronies to enter Australian land or perform any sort of financial transactions with Australian citizens.