RIA Novosti reports that according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, most Russians will leave Lebanon on July 19."A thousand people will travel to the Lebanese-Syrian border, further on via Syria to the international airport in Latakia," the ministry said. "There they will take a Russian Emergency Situations Ministry plane to Moscow."
The Russian Embassy in Beirut said embassy officials had coordinated routes with Israeli authorities, which had promised to stop military operations in the area during the evacuation.
Meanwhile, Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, says Israel has refused to provide a safe corridor to move Australian tourists, including children, trapped in Southern Lebanon.
He was quoted as saying, "The Israelis have so far said that this was a war zone, that they wouldn't agree to the requests."
Prime Minister John Howard, was presented the prestigious B'nai B'rith international Presidential Gold Medal for his "outstanding" support of Israel and the Jewish people at a ceremony in Washington last May.
