Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has decided to temporarily move the operations of its embassy in Tripoli to Tunis due to the security situation in Libya.

"The process of moving it has been done since yesterday but four embassy staff will remain in Tripoli to assure the safety of Indonesian nationals choosing to stay there," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told newsmen here on Tuesday.

"Now we are at the stage of evacuating the office in Tripoli and embassy operations will later be carried out from Tunis," he said.

Indonesian ambassador to Libya Sanusi had reported that 20 of out 24 embassy staff in Tripoli had left for Tunis on Monday.

"Nine embassy staff along with 11 Indonesian migrant workers have left Libya and now four embassy staff are still there," he said.

"We wish to assure that no Indonesian national is left there including crew from Metro TV who are still working there," he said.

Marty said several countries have already closed their embassies following the increasing political tension in the North African country.

"Now Indonesia is one of the countries that is still operating along with the Philippines, Vietnam while India embassy staff has just left Tripoli," he said.

On how long the Indonesian embassy in Tripoli will temporarily be closed Marty said it would all depend upon the situation in that country.

Marty expressed concern over developments in Libya saying the problem in Libya must be solved through dialogs like what has happened in Egypt.

"We need to help the process of creating a conducive situation to make it possible for a political dialog to be held there," he said.

Coalition forces have started military operations in Libya as of Saturday.

The UNSC has issued a no-fly zone over Libya allowing military actions to protect civilians.

KR-PPT/HAJM/H-YH

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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