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Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has reiterated the Thai government's policy of not supporting either side in the US-led war on Iraq, the Bangkok Post reported Wednesday.
Emphasizing Thailand's diplomatic independence, Thaksin said that Thailand's policy has been given clearly in writing and has not changed.
Thaksin reiterated that the government has not ordered the temporary closure of the Iraqi embassy in Bangkok, but Iraq made its own decision to close the embassy.
The Iraqi mission has been left with only three staff members after the senior diplomat took sick leave some time before the war in Iraq began, the premier said, adding that it was likely that uncertainty over the war situation had led to the decision to close.
Meanwhile, Thaksin said he has not been formally informed of Washington's request for the central bank to probe the assets owned by the Iraqi government in Thailand, saying any request would have been directed to the central bank and cooperation was "normal practice."
Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said the government's policy has been communicated to the United States, which understood Thailand's position.
(Xinhua News Agency March 26, 2003)
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