20th Aug 09
French Foreign Ministry proposes travellers pay for own repatriation
by Adam Richards
French tourists may face paying for the cost of their rescue if they travel to risky destinations abroad and require the government’s assistance.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has proposed legislation that would require travellers to reimburse the French government for air fare and any other costs incurred if they need to be rescued from hostage-takings, war zones or other hostile situations.
According to officials involved with the proposed law, the objective is to promote responsible travel as incidents of kidnapping and piracy increase in parts of the world.
Critics of the plan say that it’s not likely to deter travellers in search of adventure, and stress that the government much protect French nationals regardless.
The Foreign Ministry has said that the new law would not have an impact on cases such as that of Clotilde Reiss, the teacher that was freed from Iran on Sunday after the French government posted bail amounting to approximately £170,000.
It added that the bill, sponsored by Kouchner, would affect only those tourists on leisure trips, but not to aid workers, diplomats, reporters or others engaged in professional activity overseas.
As one example of the costs involved, a Foreign Ministry official said the government paid £614,000 to fly home 500 tourists stranded in Thailand amid civil unrest in 2008.
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