Thaindian News

BANGKOK, THAILAND (BNO NEWS) — Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday canceled next week’s trip to Russia in which he was scheduled to attend the Tiger Summit, following the controversial extradition of alleged Russian arms dealer Victor Bout to the U.S. on Tuesday, officials said.

Thai spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn announced the cancellation, but assured it is not related to the extradition, explaining that Vejjajiva will be attending a parliamentary meeting on constitutional amendment, which is also scheduled for next week.

In substitution of Vejjajiva, Thailand will be represented by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti in the summit, which is focused on the decline of the world’s tiger population and will be carried out in in St. Petersburg, Russia starting next Sunday.

Following Bout’s extradition, the Russian Foreign Ministry strongly criticized the move, describing it as “illegal,” vowing to continue to defend the former Soviet air force officer.

“From a legal perspective, what has occurred cannot have a rational explanation and justification,” the ministry said, as Russia had also requested Bout to be extradited to his native country.

“Undoubtedly, the illegal extradition of Bout is a result of the unprecedented political pressure on the Thai government and the judicial authorities by the United States. It is deeply regrettable that the Thai authorities succumbed to political pressure from outside and undertook the illegal extradition,” it added.

Wattanayakorn, however, said Thailand-Russia relations were still good as the government is currently explaining the details of the extradition.

Bout, 44, on Wednesday arrived in New York and pleaded not guilty after being extradited from Thailand where he was imprisoned since March 2008.

Dubbed as the “Merchant of Death,” Bout had been immersed in a long episode of controversy in which both the U.S. and Russia fought for his extradition since his arrest over 2 years ago during a joint U.S.-Thai operation in a Bangkok hotel.

The operation led to conspiracy charges of selling weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The U.S. then requested his extradition as he is accused of trafficking arms to warlords around the world since the 1990s.

In New York, the court ordered Bout to be held in custody without bail as he will be facing up to life in prison for four terrorism charges in the U.S., including conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, conspiracy to kill U.S. officers or employees, conspiracy to acquire an anti-aircraft missile and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist group.