Hungary has rejected a US request to shut down the Iraqi embassy in Budapest, Foreign Minister László Kovács announced Saturday.

Stating that he sees no reason to expel Iraqi diplomats from Hungary, Kovács noted that such a move would terminate diplomatic relations with Iraq.

The ministry said in a statement that Hungary is not at war with Iraq, and is not taking part in military operations aimed at implementing UN resolutions relating to Iraq.

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher announced Thursday that the US had requested the closure of Iraqi embassies around the world, and the US was also asking affected countries to freeze Iraqi government bank accounts, take control of diplomatic missions buildings and guard documents kept at Iraqi embassies.

Kovács said it is in Hungary's interest to forge close relations with a new Iraqi leadership that has no weapons of mass destruction, and that will start out on a path to democracy and economic progress.

He recalled that two Iraqi diplomats were expelled from Hungary a week ago for engaging in activity incompatible with their diplomatic status.

Iraqi chargé d'affaires Muklif al Samari told Magyar Nemzet that the US request to have Iraqi embassies closed is impossible to understand, as Iraqi embassies work without disruption in a number of countries of the world.

Such actions foment tension and harm bilateral relations, he added.

On another matter, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tamás Tóth said Friday that Hungary was considering a Turkish government request for vaccines against smallpox and anthrax from other NATO members.

Hungary has recently offered gas masks and military defence equipment to Turkey.

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