Brussels warns its citizens about travel to Egypt

The Belgian Foreign Ministry warned its citizens who want to visit Egypt to "be careful and to take care" and advised them not to head to the provinces of Qina, Al-Minya and Asyut.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Belgian Foreign ministry said: "Groups of extremists have threatened to continue attacks they already started in Luxor in September 1997 and caused the death of 58 tourists." The statement said, "These threats should be taken into account."

Meanwhile, Egyptian first Foreign Ministry secretary and President Mubarak's political advisor Osama el-Baz on Sunday called upon Washington to reconsider its own warning for Cairo. El-Baz added, "We appeal the US to correct the situation. We hope the US government to change its stand immediately.

He said, "We are in contact with the US. We believe they will change their stand because it gives a negative indication about Egypt on unjustified grounds."

"Possibilities that US citizens are vulnerable are mere groundless rumors," he said, "that the US should not take seriously."

El-Baz said the security situation in Egypt as a whole, especially in Cairo is quite stable, adding that Egypt was "surprised" by the warning from the US State Department

Meanwhile, Egyptian security sources said on Monday that unidentified persons, suspected to be Islamists killed two farmers on Sunday night in al-Saeed (Upper Egypt), al-Nahar reported.