Algeria - FCO gives new travel advice of terrorist attacks - and a funny Diplomatic joke about the Oirish

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office today (5.45pm) changed its travel advice for Algeria. Due to the continuing threat of terrorist attacks we now advise against all but essential travel to Bouria, Tipasa and Chlef districts, which are east and west of Algiers. The relevant summary point now reads:

"We advise against all but essential travel to Algiers and to the administrative district (wilayas) of Boumerdes, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia, which are east of Algiers and Blida, Medea, Tipasa, Chlef and Ain Defla, which are south and west of Algiers. You should make journeys within Algeria by air where possible."

BTW, Ruari O'Connell Deputy Head of the (so called) British Office in Pristina provides a rosy (and unbelievably naive) view of the future of Kosovo on the FCO blog in trotting out the official misguided view on Nobel Peace prize wannabe Comrade Ahtisaari's proposal for the final status of Kosovo - Ruari also tells a joke his Oirish Grandmother used to tell him (stop me if you have heard this before) ... A man found himself in the back of beyond, totally lost. Finally, after driving round in the dark for hours, he comes across an old farmer on a horse and cart. Winding down the window, he leans across and asks "Excuse me - I'm not from round here; could you help me get back to Dublin?"

Apparently (the way Ruari tells it) ...The old farmer thinks for a while, then says: "Oh, I can get you back to Dublin all right - but I wouldn't start from here".

By Jove these diplomats have a sense of humour - which if you are sent to Pristina is something that you should make sure you pack.... although it is difficult to imagine that any archetypal, thick, bog stomping , potatoe chewing Oirish diplomats will see the funny side of the story.

Perhaps he could waylay his boss, the boy David and tell him the one about the Kike whose shop had burnt down ....