Turkish government said Monday it was watching the Libya uprising closely and urged Turkish people who had relatives working in Libya not to panic as Turkish citizens were safe in that country amid violent protests against Gaddafi government, Anadolu News Agency reported.
Zafer Caglayan, Turkish State Minister for foreign trade, said there had been no attacks on Turkish people living and working in Libya, he said attacks happened only at worksites and protesters had overrun equipments at those sites. He said Turkish workers were safe.
Caglayan made his remarks at a committee meeting Monday on week-long Libya uprising which left hundreds dead as protesters are clashing with police and demanding the ouster of longtime ruler Colonel Moammar Gaddafi.
Some 200 Turkish firms, mostly construction companies, are active in Libya, which is considered a gateway for Turkish contracting sector. The size of business undertaken by Turkish contracting firms in Libya is worth 27 billion USD. There are thousands of Turkish workers at these worksites.
Turkey has already launched efforts to evacuate its citizens from Libya, authorities had earlier said.
Caglayan said Turkish government was in contact with Libyan authorities for safety of Turkish people, adding that Turkey made evacuation plans by land, air and sea.