Thailand PM cancels visit to Russia.

18/11 Tass 172

BANGKOK, November 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit
Wechachiwa cancelled a scheduled visit in Russia to attend a St.
Petersburg summit for the protection of tigers.
Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn rejected some reports
that the visit was cancelled due to the extradition of Russian citizen
Viktor Bout from Thailand to the United States. There is no connection
with this case, he said. The minister of natural resources and
environmental protection will represent Thailand at the forum.
Meanwhile, Moscow and Bangkok differed in the official assessments of
the extradition of the Russian citizen. The Russian Foreign Ministry has
made a tough statement addressed to the Thai authorities and concerning
their decision to extradite the Russian citizen to the U.S. and the Thai
Foreign Ministry keeps insisting on the lawfulness of the extradition
decision and regrets of the critical statements made in Russia.
-0-baz/kud