Romanian minister forced to quit

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Romania's foreign minister has been forced to resign over his failure to notify the government that US forces detained two Romanian workers in Iraq.

Mihai Razvan Ungureanu was asked to quit by Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu.

The prime minister was unhappy that he only learnt of the workers' arrest and three-month detention at a US base in Iraq via the media, a statement said.

The Romanian pair were detained on 31 October after taking photos of the base where they worked without permission.

"The prime minister believes that the government must protect the interests of Romanian citizens, wherever they may be," the government said in a statement.

According to the statement in agreeing to resign Mr Ungureanu "acknowledging that the ministry made a mistake".

The workers were released on Friday after US officials decided there had been no malevolence behind the picture taking.