The Portuguese government has closed its embassy in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad because of poor security and high financial costs, Foreign Minister Luis Amado told the press on Thursday.

Amado said he had sent a letter to his Iraqi counterpart Hostiar Zebari to inform him of the decision and reiterated his nation's "firm support" for Iraq's reconstruction.

Until security in Baghdad has improved, Portugal will deal with its relations with Iraq via its ambassador in Lisbon, who will also cover other Gulf States, Amado said.

In support of the ambassador, Portugal will keep an office open in the foreign embassies section of Baghdad's security area, the Green Zone.

The ambassador to Iraq, Francisco Falcao Machado, has already left Baghdad. The 14 Portuguese police officers who have guarded the embassy will leave by the end of this month.

The ministry said the exit from Iraq is part of a restructuring of its embassies overseas. It has also closed the embassy in the Philippine capital Manila, and opened new embassies in the Libyan capital Tripoli and Lebanese capital Beirut.

Source: Xinhua