FM:Thailand is friend of all countries

BANGKOK, February 16 (TNA) - Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul insisted Thursday that Thailand is a friend of all countries and never gets involved in any conflict of other nations. Surapong affirmed on Thailand's neutrality and local security authorities' capability in maintaining order, saying he believes that travel warnings against Thailand issued by now 14 nations will be lifted in the near future, acknowledging, however, that a spate of three bomb blasts on Sukhumvit 71 Road in Bangkok on February 14 has caused four more countries to issue such the travel alert against Thailand. The 14 countries include Canada, the United States, Ireland, Britain, Austria, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, New Zealand, Italy, Norway, Israel and Taiwan. But the Thai foreign minister said he does not think the warnings will be maintained for a long time, as Thai authorities have arrested most Iranian suspects and there was no evidence of any terror plot. The foreign minister told reporters that Thai authorities concerned are finding out whether the arrested suspects intended to hurt any Israeli diplomat as reported, and that the Iranian government has announced it is willing to cooperate with the Thai authorities in nationality verifications of the arrested Iranian suspects. The Thai authorities are seeking another suspect, identified as Masoud Sedaghat Zadeh, who was apprehended in Malaysia following the three bomb blasts. (TNA)