Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - Deputy Foreign Minister Triyono Wibowo said the government is greatly concerned about the fate of the 6,045 Indonesians in Egypt where the situation is still very tense.

"We hope the situation in Egypt could be well under control, while actually we did not wish to middle in the situation in that country, and we are therefore deeply concerned about the fate of our 6,045 people there," he said here on Sunday.

On the sidelines of a discussion on regional border at the University of Narotama (Unnar) here, he said the government`s attention to its citizens in Egypt is seeing that Indonesians are free from suffering.

"Some of our people in Egypt are students, workers, and many have other professions, but since the last couple of days (Jan 28) our government has issued an official notification in the website of the Indonesian mission in Egypt," he said.

The notification hoped Indonesians need to remain calm and stay home and avoid points of restlessness, and at any time may contact Indonesian representative mission there if they knew something bad had happened.

"Up till now none of our people had been hurt, especially that in addition to the 6,045 Indonesians officially listed at Indonesian representative offices, some had yet to be registered," he said.

In the meantime, Indonesian ambassador to Egypt A.M. Sachir said he has asked the military authorities in Egypt to protect Indonesian nationals.

"We have asked the Egyptian military authorities to take over security to protect Indonesians," Ambassador Sachir told ANTARA journalist Munawar Saman Makyanie who had made reports from Cairo (Jan 30).

So far all Indonesian citizens in Egypt are in a safe condition, he said, although some demonstrations were still flaring in several parts of Egypt.

The Indonesian embassy opened a command post and provides special hotlines no 20227947200 and 27947209 for communications with Indonesians there. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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