Singapore slaps on Thailand's face : FM
Foreign Minsiter Nitya Pibulsonggram said Friday that he had personally warned his Singporean counterpart that there would be "reactions" from Thailand if ousted prime minister was received by Singapore Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar early this week.
Nitya said after having been informed of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's pending visit to Singapore, the Thai Foreign Ministry notified Singapore "at least three times" that the treatment to be accorded Thaksin was "unacceptable" to the Thai Government.Speaking to a group of senior editors during their lunch meeting with Prime Minister Gen Surayud Chulanont at Baan Phitsanuloke, Nitya said his warning to Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo during the the Asean summit meeting in Cebu, the Philippines, was unmistakable. "I told him 'we cannot accept the fact that Thaksin is going to be received by Singapore's deputy prime minister'," Nitya said. "I emphasised that it was something unacceptable." The Thai foreign minister said he also warned Yeo "there will be reactions" from Thailand if Jayakumar received Thaksin. Nitya was apparently trying to counter media reports that the Thai Foreign Ministry was not forceful enough in impressing on the Singaporeans about how serious the consequence of such meeting would be. Despite Thailand's protest, the Singaporean government went ahead and arranged a meeting between Thaksin and Jayakumar which subsequently prompted the Thai Foreign Ministry to retaliate by suspending all high level meetings with Singapore, including a ministerial dialogue scheduled later this month. The invitation for the Singaporean foreign minister to attend the dialogue was also rescinded. Nitya said while other countries were sensitive to the Thai Government's stand on Thaksin, Singapore made itself an exception. "It was a slap on Thailand's face and tantamount to recognising the former government," Nitya said. Nitya said that during his conversation with Yeo he also reminded his Singaporean counterpart of President S R Nathan's recent pledge to Prime Minister Gen Surayud that Singapore would not do anything to "betray" the trust and understanding between the two countries. "I looked Yeo in the eyes and reminded him that he was there too when President Nathan said that," Nitya said. Asked how the two countries will repair the damage from the row, Nitya said the Foreign Ministry will assess the situation "on a daily basis" before deciding what to do next. "But if you ask me if I will fly to Singapore tomorrow, the answer is no," he added. The Nation
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