S'pore wants diplomat back

SINGAPORE has asked for the Romanian Embassy's charge d'affaires, Dr Silviu Ionescu, to be present when an inquiry into a fatal accident last year, in which he is suspected of involvement, begins here next month.

In a strongly worded statement issued last night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it had summoned the Romanian Ambassador to the Republic and delivered a series of diplomatic notes.

It also revealed that Dr Ionescu was involved in a 2007 accident, of which he was cleared of any wrongdoing.

In diplomatic-speak, a summons is a serious matter, and is issued when a country seeks information, clarification or documents from another. Such summonses cannot be ignored.

The notes were delivered to Ambassador Aurelian Neagu, 50, who is based in Tokyo but flew to Singapore and accepted them yesterday.

The first note sought the Romanian Embassy's cooperation in asking Dr Ionescu, 49, to return to Singapore to attend the coroner's inquiry into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai. He died as a result of injuries sustained in the Dec 15 accident.