More diplomats withdrawn, embassies closed in Baghdad

Portugal has announced it has closed its embassy in Baghdad because of security dangers in one of the greatest steps taken to withdraw diplomats from Iraq at a time when threats of war against Iraq are looming.

A spokesman for the Portuguese foreign ministry said that his country had decided to close its embassy in Baghdad and evacuate its workers by the end of January. He added that the foreign minister left the decision to close the embassy to the ambassador. The spokesman said "the ambassador decided that the situation is very grave and the embassy was closed." The spokesman said that the decision taken to close the embassy has no connection to the decision taken by Portugal in January to join other seven European states in supporting the American threats against Baghdad. Portugal permitted the American military planes to use an air base in al-Azwar island in the Atlantic ocean.

Just recently Pakistan, China, Malaysia and the Czech have evacuated some of their citizens from Baghdad. The Philippines started closure of its embassy. The Polish diplomats who were working in the American interests department in Iraq also left Baghdad.