Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said the government will start helping the country’s citizens evacuate from Syria.

Canada will expedite issuing documents needed to leave Syria, Baird said in an e-mailed statement, citing the possibility that embassy services may be reduced “without warning” if the situation in the country deteriorates.

To contact the reporter on this story: Theophilos Argitis in Ottawa at targitis@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Badertscher at pbadertscher@bloomberg.net