EGYPT'S Foreign Ministry yesterday instructed the Egyptian Embassy in Angola to get definite answers on a number of security questions from authorities there ahead of an African Cup of Nations semi-final clash between the defending champions Egypt and Algeria. "We have asked about our share of tickets for the match, the size of the stadium, the hotels and the buses to carry Egyptian fans in Angola," said Farid Moneib, an assistant foreign minister. He added that the Egyptian Football Association, not the embassy in Angola, would be in charge of distributing tickets for tomorrow's match. "We have set up an operation room to follow up on the travel of Egyptian fans, their residence in Angola and their return," Moneib said. An Egyptian official said yesterday around 1,000 fans would be airlifted to Angola to support the national team in their match against Algeria. "Around 1,000 fans will be selected from the Egyptian clubs to travel to Angola," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. However, another aviation official cited difficulty in organising flights for Egyptians, saying that the flights are too costly. "To name some few hardships on this: There are no direct flights to Luanda, the Angolan capital. Also the flight could cost LE250,000. It could take more than 15 hours," Sameh Hefny, the head of Egypt's Civil Aviation Authority, told The Egyptian Gazette. The Algerian government yesterday disclosed plans to airlift hundreds of its fans to Angola for the match against Egypt. Egyptian Information Minister Anas el-Fiqqi, meanwhile, called on the media in both Arab countries to be “balanced and calm” in their reporting about the match. "We should not let our emotions lead us to fanaticism. All media professionals should deal with the match as a sports event, not a political one," el-Fiqqi said. Foreign Minister of Egypt Ahmed Abul Gheit and his Algerian counterpart Murad Medlci yesterday discussed the match over the phone, according to the official Middle East News Agency (MENA). The two officials highlighted the need for caution and sensible dealing of the event from both sides. Meanwhile, the Arab League urged both countries to use tomorrow's match “to overcome any differences”. Thousands of Algerian fans were flown into Sudan last November as they beat Egypt 1-0 in a World Cup play-off game. Violence erupted in Khartoum after Algeria's victory in the play-off that saw them qualify for the World Cup in South Africa. Problems also flared in France, as well as in both Algeria and Egypt. The aftermath triggered political tensions between the two governments and prompted Egypt to recall its ambassador from Algiers in protest.
