Romania has recalled its ambassador to Kenya Dragos Viorel Tigau for making apparently racist remarks describing his African colleagues as "monkeys".
Romania ''regrets this situation, conveys its apologies to all those affected, and strongly rejects and condemns all behaviours and attitudes incompatible with mutual respect,’’ the country's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
“Such behaviours and attitudes do not reflect, in any way, the institutional and human values that underpin the diplomatic action of the Romanian MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs),'' it added.
The foreign ministry said its values were ''based on the promotion and profound respect for human rights, diversity, and the fight against racism and any form of intolerance or discrimination.''
The Romanian ambassador made the remarks, acknowledged by his government as ''racist'', during a meeting in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on April 26.
A monkey appeared at the window of the conference room at a UN building and then the Romanian envoy said: "The African group has joined us," AFP news agency reports.
'Cover-up attempts'
But the Romanian foreign ministry said it was only informed of the incident this week and that it has started ''a procedure to recall its ambassador." It described his attitude as "absolutely unacceptable."
Dragos Viorel Tigau's comments were made public on June 8 by Kenya's Foreign Ministry Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau.
The remarks against Africans by the European country's envoy were "intolerable and unacceptable in any age let alone 21st Century in Nairobi," Kamau said in a tweet on Thursday.
The slur by Romanian diplomat has sparked outrage and reignited debate over racism particularly against Africans. But the Romanian foreign ministry said it hopes ''this isolated incident will not affect the deep relations'' between Romania and African countries.
