Portuguese scribes asked not to visit Iraq

The Portuguese foreign ministry on Friday advised the country's media not to send special correspondents to cover Iraq elections.

Citing the risky security situation in Iraq, the Portuguese foreign ministry on Friday advised the country's media not to send special correspondents to cover the elections there due on January 30.

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Portuguese authorities "advised against it that special correspondents from the Portuguese press go to Iraq during the upcoming general elections," a statement from the ministry said.

The ministry said it was acting in line with recommendations on the elections made by other European Union member states.

A Portuguese weekly, a private television station and a Catholic radio broadcaster have said they will send one reporter to Iraq for the vote, who is due to file stories for all three outlets from there.

Many media have however not yet made a decision on whether they will dispatch special correspondents to the war-torn country.