THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FLEEING ISRAEL'S 12 DAYS OF BOMBING IN LEBANON POURED INTO CYPRUS AND TURKEY ON SUNDAY AS THE UNITED NATIONS APPEALED FOR AID FOR THE MANY MORE STAYING BEHIND, REUTERS REPORTED. ABOUT 15 SHIPS WERE EXPECTED AT CYPRIOT PORTS OVERNIGHT IN WHAT MAY BE THE PEAK OF THE ORGANISED EVACUATION EFFORT THAT HAS SO FAR WHISKED ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE TO CYPRUS, A SMALL MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND STRUGGLING TO COPE WITH THE INFLUX. BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES SAID THEY WERE STARTING TO WIND DOWN OPERATIONS BUT CYPRUS SAID THERE MAY BE ANOTHER 40,000 PEOPLE YET TO COME. TURKEY STEPPED IN TO SHARE THE BURDEN AND OVER 3,000 MOSTLY CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN AND U.S. EVACUEES HAVE ARRIVED AT ITS SOUTHERN PORT OF MERSIN, WELCOMED BY RED CRESCENT WORKERS. "IT'S THE BIGGEST AUSTRALIAN EVACUATION SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR," AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY JEAN DUNN TOLD REUTERS, SAYING HER COUNTRY EXPECTED TO TAKE 6,000 OR MORE OF ITS 20,000 CITIZENS OUT OF LEBANON THIS WEEK. FRANCE'S DEFENCE MINISTER MICHELE ALLIOT-MARIE SAID AFTER VISITING THE VESSEL THAT HAD BROUGHT IN 200 EVACUEES: "UNTIL TODAY, WE HAVE RESPONDED TO 5,000 (EVACUATION) REQUESTS AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 9,000 PENDING." SHE SAID FRANCE WOULD LEAVE ITS OPERATIONS IN CYPRUS IN PLACE TO HELP PASS HUMANITARIAN AID TO LEBANON. U.N. OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THEY WILL ESTABLISH AN AID STAGING POINT IN CYPRUS.
