Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu on Sunday told
a press conference that he has decided to resign and will hand in
his resignation on Monday.
Ungureanu said there is a "difference of opinion" between him
and the head of the government on the issue of not informing Prime
Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu about the situation of the two
Romanians detained in Iraq.
The two workers were detained on Oct. 31 after they had
allegedly taken pictures without permission in a US military base
in Iraq.
The prime minister on Friday asked Ungureanu to quit for not
informing the government about the detention. He said defending the
interests of Romanian citizens, no matter where they are, is one of
the government's tasks.
Ungureanu said he assumes any responsibility validated or not in
regard to the activity of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
"When the prime minister requests the resignation of a minister,
it is normal, logical and moral that he hands in the resignation,"
Ungureanu said.
Ungureanu reaffirmed MAE's stand stated this week, stressing
that Traian Basescu was informed in November 2006 about the
situation of the two Romanians detained in Iraq as he is the head
of the Supreme Council for the Country's Defense.
At the same time, Ungureanu said after the Romanian Foreign
Intelligence Service declared that Adrian Gancean and Nelu Ilie are
not members of intelligence services, the case became a
low-proportion case of consular assistance, with a simple procedure
in which the responsibility fell to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. "There was no doubt the responsibility was ours, although
it was not considered unimportant," said Ungureanu.
At present, there are 7,291 cases of Romanians with similar
problems outside the country, Ungureanu said, adding that it is not
proper to overload the president or the prime minister with so much
work.
The two Romanians had been working at the base for a US
contractor since May 2006. US military authorities in Iraq decided
on Friday to release the two men.
(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2007)
