Singapore has issued a warrant of arrest against a Romanian diplomat over a hit-and-run accident, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement that the ministry met on Friday with Aurelian Neagu, the Romanian Ambassador to Singapore, who is based in Tokyo.

The MFA said Neagu was officially informed of the findings of the Coroner's Inquiry and the charges preferred by the Singapore Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) against Silviu Ionescu, the former Romanian charge d'affaires to Singapore.

He was also officially informed that a warrant of arrest had been issued against Ionescu and that Interpol had issued a Red Notice against him.

A Red Notice means the warrant can be circulated in member countries, with the request that the wanted person be arrested with a view to extradition.

On March 31, a Singapore Coroner's court ruled that Silviu Ionescu, 49, was the driver of the car involved in a hit-and-run accident here last December, which resulted in the death of 30- year-old Singapore permanent resident, Tong Kok Wai, and injured two others. Ionescu has left Singapore for Romania, refusing to return for the inquest.

The MFA said that while Singapore understood that Romania had taken the position that it could not compel Ionescu to return as there was no Extradition Treaty between Singapore and Romania, Singapore's preference was nevertheless for Ionescu to return to Singapore to face the charges.

Ambassador Neagu informed the MFA that the Romanian Prosecutor' s Office had started criminal investigations against Ionescu on Feb. 2, 2010 on "homicide by negligence, leaving the scene of an accident and false statements."

Neagu stressed that Romania was committed to seeing justice done. The ambassador explained that Romania would need to conduct its own investigations against Ionescu in accordance with Romanian law. He assured the MFA that Romania would continue to cooperate fully with Singapore on the matter.

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