Gemma Jones, political reporter From: AAP, News Limited Network
September 30, 2012 3:42PM
Aid worker Alexandra Bean's passport has been returned to her and she is now free to leave Libya. Source: Supplied
AUSTRALIAN aid worker Alexandra 'Pippi' Bean is likely to fly out of Libya within hours, Foreign Minister Bob Carr says.
Ms Bean, 30, was stopped for questioning by Libyan authorities at Tripoli airport on Tuesday and her passport was seized after she refused to sign a statement written in Arabic.
She was in Libya working for the International Organisation for Migration.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) today said Ms Bean's passport had now been returned to her and she was free to leave.
"It's very good news and I'm relieved for her family," Senator Carr told Network Ten.
"Her passport's been given to her and our staff will be with her until she boards the plane.
"So that's a happy outcome and I thank the Libyan government."
Senator Carr said he expected Ms Bean to fly out within hours.
"I think they're waiting for a flight now," he said.
But her brother James says he won't breathe easy until his sister is actually on a plane out of Libya.
He said his sister won't be able to leave before late tonight, Australian time, and until the plane's in the air he won't be happy.
The news came after several meetings between Australian officials and Libyan authorities yesterday.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson thanked the UK embassy for their help on the ground in Tripoli.
"We will continue to provide Ms Bean full consular assistance and support until she departs Libya," the spokesperson said.
Earlier, senior Australian diplomat Simon Harrison touched down in Libya to provide consular assistance to the detained aid worker.
Her family in Australia had demanded that Senator Carr and DFAT do more to assist Ms Bean, including a personal visit by the minister to Tripoli.
Her mother Kate was "livid" after Senator Carr said in an interview on Thursday that her daughter "doesn't require further assistance."
Mr Harrison, who is a senior Cairo-based Australian consular official, was been on the ground in Tripoli for several hours and had already met once with Ms Bean, a DFAT spokesperson said.
Consular staff in Canberra are also in regular touch with Ms Bean's family.
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop first suggested Britain, which has sufficient security in the wake of the murder of US Ambassador Chris Stevens, be called in.
"It is the messages that has been given to Alexandra's family that has been troubling. First they were told there was nobody there, then they were told somebody was going but they couldn't get a visa," Ms Bishop said.
"Then they said he can't leave Cairo to go to Tripoli, he hasn't got security, they had to get a security officer out of Australia. He couldn't go because he hasn't got a visa. You can imagine the family on the end of the phone. They are very distressed."
Senator Carr has said Ms Bean's case is different to lawyer Melinda Taylor, for whom he personally flew to Libya to help secure her release from where she was detained by militia.
"As in the Melinda Taylor case, it is standard practice for us to co-operate with the UK on consular cases in regions where Australia has no diplomatic representation," the DFAT spokesperson said on yesterday.
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
30092012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
No comments:
Post a Comment