BUCHAREST, Sept 22, 2008 (AFP) - Romania's foreign affairs ministry announced Monday it had created a crisis centre following the kidnapping of 19 people, reportedly including one Romanian, in southwestern Egypt near Sudan.

'We are waiting for...clarifications on the identity of the Romanian national who, according to some information, is in the group of tourists and is a woman,' a government spokeswoman added.

Earlier, Egypt's tourism ministry identified the foreigners kidnapped as one Romanian, five Germans and five Italians.

A Romanian diplomat in Cairo, Marian Stan, told Romania's Realitatea TV that a woman did figure among the group.

Launched at the demand of Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu, the crisis unit will ensure information is collected efficiently and steps are coordinated, the spokeswoman said.

Masked bandits on Friday kidnapped the 19 foreign tourists and Egyptians at gunpoint as they were on a desert safari in a remote area heading for Sudan, officials said.

Eight Egyptian nationals were also abducted in the incident, according to Egypt's state news agency.