"They continue to enjoy the privileges and immunities accorded to them under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and will until we receive contrary information from their new government," Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said.

A diplomatic source on Sunday said the foreign office had withdrawn the accreditation of Iraqi diplomats in Manila and they would no longer be invited to official or diplomatic functions.

Manila was also ready to freeze the funds of the embassy so they can be turned over to new diplomats who may be sent by any new government in Baghdad, the source said.

Ople himself last week described the situation of the Iraqi diplomats as "akward," adding that it appeared they were "in a sort of limbo" since the government they represented no longer existed after US-led coalition forces effectively took control of Iraq's capital.

But on Monday, Ople said he was still in contact with the Iraqi diplomats, stressing that the Philippines had "never severed diplomatic ties with Iraq."

The Philippines, an Asian member of the US-led "coalition of the willing" to disarm Iraq, had expelled three top Iraqi diplomats in February and March on allegations they were engaged in spying.

SPACE.WIRE