More Countries Help Citizens Flee Egypt
An Egyptian protester chant anti-government slogans, as another holds a sign in Arabic reading ＇Voice of the People, no to Mubarak,＇ as smoke billows from the National Council for Women and Children＇s building, in downtown Cairo, January 29, 2011
More countries are sending planes to evacuate their citizens from the unrest in Egypt, as leaders from around the world call on President Hosni Mubarak to seek a peaceful resolution to the week-long anti-government protests.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice Jacobs told reporters that the first U.S.-government sponsored flight will be leaving Cairo Monday.
China＇s state television reported that a plane is on its way to start transporting the more than 500 Chinese nationals at the Cairo airport. Azerbaijan, India, Iraq, Japan and Turkey are among the nations that sent planes Sunday.
In a statement late Sunday, China＇s Foreign Ministry said Beijing hopes normalcy and stability will return to Egypt soon.
U.S. President Barack Obama called for an "orderly transition" to a more responsive government in Egypt, while European leaders appealed for free and fair elections in the world＇s most populous Arab nation.
White House officials said Sunday that Mr. Obama spoke with the leaders of Britain, Turkey, Israel and Saudi Arabia over the past two days. He reiterated his administration＇s desire for restraint while supporting the broad democratic rights of the Egyptian people, including the right to peaceful assembly, association and free speech.
British, French and German leaders also spoke out, urging their Egyptian counterpart, President Mubarak, to "embark on a process of transformation which should be reflected in a broad-based government and in free and fair elections."
Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel did not call for Mr. Mubarak＇s resignation.
Huge anti-government protests in Egypt, a crucial ally of the United States, have resulted in more than 100 deaths since Tuesday.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country is following the anti-government protests in Egypt "with vigilance," and he hopes that peaceful relations will continue.
The Arab nation of more than 80 million people has a peace treaty with Israel and has played a major role as a mediator between Israelis and Palestinians.
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