Following the shooting of a BAE employee in Riyadh on Thursday, the British foreign office has issued the following....
WARDENS NOTICE
The Consulate General would like to draw British citizens’ attention to a change in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice for Saudi Arabia, which issued today 21 February. A copy of the full text is attached to this notice and it can also be found on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk).
You are advised to continue to maintain a high level of vigilance. Recent warden’s notices have focused on security precautions you will wish to bear in mind.
The further advice is that you should now consider whether your presence in Saudi Arabia and that of your dependants is essential. The FCO are now advising against non-essential travel, including holiday travel, to Saudi Arabia. This advice is being given because of the increasing regional tension and the risk of terrorist action. Similar advice is issuing for Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan.
You will wish to know that the FCO has authorised the voluntary departure of dependants of staff in the Consulate General and the Embassy, and of non-essential Consulate General and Embassy staff who wish to leave. We anticipate that the Consulate General will continue to offer a full range of services.
Developments on Iraq and any further increase in regional tension could affect this advice. If you wish to check it at any time, our website address is: www.ukm.org.sa. You are advised to follow developments closely.
Mutt