Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon says that the country may be considering lifting travel restrictions on Egypt, reports the Toronto Star.
The minister made the announcement following a trip to the region, which included a meeting with Egypt’s interim government and the Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf.
According to Cannon, one of Sharaf’s main requests was that Canada lift its travel advisory against travel to Egypt, which currently "advises against non-essential travel to Egypt due to the unpredictable security situation and the threat of terrorist attacks."
"In all of these meetings… I felt a genuine and authentic push toward democracy," said Cannon. "I think it’s incumbent that the country be able to restore the great tourism industry it does have."
Last week, the Egyptian military announced that it was disbanding the contentious state security service, which had helped the now-deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak maintain control of the country.
The strength of the state security service is down 60 percent from last month and Canada’s stance on travel will move at a similar pace, says Cannon. "This is gradually coming back on line literally, and that’s why I indicated that our travel advisory will follow the same rhythm."