5 Iraqi Diplomats Expelled From Romania

[ebpda9]

BUCHAREST, Romania - Five Iraqi diplomats were expelled from Romania over the weekend for "activities incompatible with their status," diplomatic jargon for spying.

The Foreign Ministry anounced the expulsions Monday but did not name the diplomats. In a brief statement sent to The Associated Press, the ministry said the diplomats were asked to leave last Saturday.

"The decision was taken after concluding the incompatibility of the activity of these people regarding the provisions of the Vienna Convention for diplomats," the statement said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Costin Dobran later told the AP that Iraq's ambassador to Romania, Majid Saad Hamid, had not been expelled. Nobody was answering the phones at the embassy.

Last week the United States expelled two U.N.-based Iraqi diplomats and said Washington had identified 300 Iraqis in 60 countries - some operating as diplomats out of Iraqi embassies - whom it also wanted expelled.

U.S. officials said the alleged Iraqi agents could attack American interests overseas. Iraq has denounced the U.S. request and called it "a frantic campaign" by the CIA.

The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest said it was a "purely Romanian operation." Prime Minister Adrian Nastase also denied that there had been any pressure or messages from the United States, private Realitatea TV reported.

Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana said the expulsions were made over the weekend without any problems. He said Romania's secret services were involved in the operation but gave no details about accusations made against the Iraqis.

Geoana said last week that Romania had closed its embassy in Baghdad amid growing fears of a U.S.-led war to rid Iraq of its alleged weapons of mass destruction. The embassy had four diplomats.

On Monday, Australia said an Iraqi diplomat accused of being an Iraqi intelligence officer had been ordered to leave the country by Wednesday. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer rejected criticism that his government had succumbed to U.S. pressure in deciding to expel Iraqi diplomat Helal Ibrahim Aaref, accused of being an Iraqi intelligence officer. He was ordered to leave the country by Wednesday.

"We certainly conferred with the Americans on this," Downer told reporters in Canberra. "And they have asked us to look into the activities of Iraqi diplomats."

But, he added, "The U.S. doesn't instruct Australia. Australia is an independent country."

A U.S. Embassy spokeswoman said Australia and the United States shared intelligence and made similar assessments on the Iraqi diplomat's activities.

Downer said the Australian Security and Intelligence Organization had discovered that Aaref, who has spent four months in Australia, was working as an Iraqi intelligence officer and was believed to be associated with Iraq's feared secret police, the Mukhabarat.

In December 2001, Romania expelled an Iraqi diplomat for spying, acting under pressure from the British authorities.

Romania had excellent relations with Iraq during the regime of the late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, which ended with his overthrow and death in 1989. Iraq has one of the most lavish embassies in the Romanian capital, a reminder of the good relations in communist times.

However, in recent years, as Romania has moved to join NATO and the European Union, relations have deteriorated between the two countries.

Iraq has an unpaid debt to Romania worth $1.7 billion, which dates back to before 1989.

Romania is among 10 former communist countries that support the tough U.S. stance on Saddam Hussein and nearly 4,000 U.S. troops are based in the Black Sea port of Constanta, in preparation for a possible war against Iraq.

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