European visits to Indonesia

European visits to Indonesia

BRUSSELS: Several European countries have not yet issued any travel warnings to their citizens intending to visit Indonesia despite threats by radical groups to launch campaigns to expel foreigners in retaliation for the U.S. plan to attack Afghanistan.

Nevertheless, some governments in Europe, mainly those contributing the largest number of tourists to Indonesia, forewarned their citizens to avoid certain places considered unsafe, according to Indonesian embassies in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy and Portugal.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Germany, for example, has yet to identify any reason to advise against its citizens visiting Indonesia.

The ministry informed that the Indonesian government would take stern action against the hardline groups for causing inconveniences.

"There's no need to be fearful of the situation. However, it would be better to delay visiting Solo, Aceh, Pontianak, Poso and Irian Jaya," Hartanti, a spokeswoman for the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin, said as quoted by Antara on Thursday. -- Antara