FM Tej Bunnag yesterday handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Samak
Sundaravej in a serious blow to the administration. Sources said Samak was
desperately trying to get Tej to change his mind. He asked Tej to wait at least
until the present political crisis was over, a source said.
Neither Tej nor the Foreign Ministry spokesman could be reached for comment.In
an interview taped last Friday for "World Beat with Suthichai Yoon,"
Tej hinted to the Nation Group's editor-in-chief that his days at the Foreign
Ministry were numbered.
"I never felt pressured to do something against my will. But if I were
pressured to do something against my conscience or something that was not good
for the country, I would resign," Tej said.
Tej, who has yet to complete his familiarisation tour of Asean countries and
was scheduled to fly to Vietnam next Wednesday, told Suthichai: "I don't know
if I'm still going to be around."
The career diplomat, who became an adviser to the Office of HM's Principal
Private Secretary shortly after his retirement in 2004, told Suthichai he did
not have much choice but to take up the ministerial post.
Tej is leaving it after holding it for less than two months.
Tej said Samak had made a request to His Majesty the King that he be the
foreign minister. "I am a civil servant. I am not in a position to decline. It
was my duty," Tej said.
Tej's resignation came one day after his political secretary, Poksak Nilubol,
quit. Poksak had resigned reportedly over the government's handling of the
crisis.
In the interview to be aired on Modernine TV at 11pm tonight, the former
permanent secretary of the Foreign Ministry said his most urgent task was to
restore ties with Cambodia.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group.
This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language.
Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc
Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
