Click on the letter in French to zoom inUnofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr
Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
Phnom Penh, 06 September 2007
Samdech Chauvea Veang Kong Sam Ol
Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of the Royal Palace
Samdech,
Through a communiqué broadcasted on 30 August 2007, His Majesty King-Father Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia had invited Mr. Peter Forster, spokesman of the UN Assistance for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal (UNAKRT), to talk publicly with him on 08 September on the following question: “The Khmer Rouge and Norodom Sihanouk affair.” Regarding this issue, I have the honor of informing you the following.
From now on, it is necessary to lift up all eventual misunderstanding which could have been caused by Mr. Foster’s statement which was reported in the Cambodian Daily newspaper last 29 August. I can assure you that Mr. Foster did not have the intention of attacking the honor of His Majesty King-Father.
Nevertheless, I regret to inform you the fact that Mr. Foster, as spokesman of the UNAKRT, is not empowered to exercise jurisdictional duties, and that, consequently, he is not authorized to accept the invitation of His Majesty King-Father. In fact, only the ECCC judges have the competency to determine who must be heard as witness, and in doing so, they are obligated to respect the applicable procedure rules.
I leave it to your liking the care to determine the most appropriate manner to bring the (content of the) present letter to the attention of His Majesty King-Father.
While regretting that Mr. Foster’s statement and the way it was perceived could have been the cause of a misunderstanding, please, Your Excellency, accept the assurance of very highest regards.
Michelle Lee
Deputy Director of the administration office of the ECCC
In a very recent handwritten text for the general public, I already said everything as a “witness”. I have nothing to add to this.
Consequently, I will have nothing more to say to these judges.
(Signed) N. Sihanouk
Phnom Penh, Thursday 06 September 2007
Note: Regarding “my oath,” I already took it, yesterday, a Buddhist holy day, in the Royal Chapel (Royal Palace), in front of 5 superior Buddhist monks, and (in front of) statues and statuettes of Buddha.
(Signed) N. Sihanouk
From now on, it is necessary to lift up all eventual misunderstanding which could have been caused by Mr. Foster’s statement which was reported in the Cambodian Daily newspaper last 29 August. I can assure you that Mr. Foster did not have the intention of attacking the honor of His Majesty King-Father.
Nevertheless, I regret to inform you the fact that Mr. Foster, as spokesman of the UNAKRT, is not empowered to exercise jurisdictional duties, and that, consequently, he is not authorized to accept the invitation of His Majesty King-Father. In fact, only the ECCC judges have the competency to determine who must be heard as witness, and in doing so, they are obligated to respect the applicable procedure rules.
I leave it to your liking the care to determine the most appropriate manner to bring the (content of the) present letter to the attention of His Majesty King-Father.
While regretting that Mr. Foster’s statement and the way it was perceived could have been the cause of a misunderstanding, please, Your Excellency, accept the assurance of very highest regards.
Michelle Lee
Deputy Director of the administration office of the ECCC
King-Father’s handwritten notes to the underscored text above:
In a very recent handwritten text for the general public, I already said everything as a “witness”. I have nothing to add to this.
Consequently, I will have nothing more to say to these judges.
(Signed) N. Sihanouk
Phnom Penh, Thursday 06 September 2007
Note: Regarding “my oath,” I already took it, yesterday, a Buddhist holy day, in the Royal Chapel (Royal Palace), in front of 5 superior Buddhist monks, and (in front of) statues and statuettes of Buddha.
(Signed) N. Sihanouk
10 comments:
I don't when Sihanouk really care about buddihst....
Dear Michelle Lee
I hope your acknowledgement will heal the process.Obviously clarification from the former king is valuable.However it is essential to re open the option.CACJE is only small NGO and applied for former king for his presence at KRT and how credential this NGO has,and has led to serious complication.Based on where trial is being held,a serious balanced consideration must be taken.You cannot apply wether or not the supremacy rule and need to aware of cultural sensitivity even more so in high ranking place.
Peter Foster did not do his job, convey the message and did not appear independent.In fact period of 1975 to 1979 needs to be focused.
It is a tough call and I praise.
Yours sincerely
Khmer soth
This khmer Soth is an animal royal family member. He know nothing about national pride and national reconcialtion. To reach National Pride and National reconciliation, all people in Cambodia must all equal in front of law. One law for all. All criminals should be brought to serve their justice. Protecting Sihanouk from Trial is to divide Khmer communities all over the world. Bring him to serve justice is the only way to heal wound people who have suffered from his revenge to Lon Nol regime which in consequence millions of people have terished their lives.
Down Down all people who want to protect National criminals !!!!!!!
Sihanouk keep issuing statement blindfully blaming only America and the khmer republic for the rise of the Khmer rouge.It'S LAUGHABLE, and show how dumb he is ?, i think senilety start to eat him up now .In fact, America was only trying to curb the spread of the communism into SouthEAST Asia that all, while he(sihanouk)cooperated with the communist from the start.This person never ever at all blaming China for supplying and arming the khmer rouge to the teeth to kill millions including his own children and grand children .
Now, for the sake of Cambodia,Hun Sen's govt should buy him one way ticket and send him to Pyong Yang north Korea as soon as possible before this idiot communist sympatizer can damage the relationship between the two countries further.
Khmer Soth,
"only the ECCC judges have the competency to determine who should be heard as witness". That is the statement Foster made in the first place that started all this. He is doing exactly what his job is and the ECCC is standing by him.
Sounds more like the ECCC are saying 'sorry if you were offended but we stand by our spokesperson'. The King could still be called by the court- that will be up to the judges.
khmer pheas khloun said...
Regarding of your letter date 09/06/2007 We understand that handling and processing take some times. It is not hard like searching the needle in the hay stack N Seihaknouk , evidences , witnesses and documents all are there ,the person whom did the Cambodian holocaust is norodom Seihaknouk from 1970 to 1979 seihaknouk created Cambodian bloodbath with two million and plus of it citizen to lose their lives. Seihaknouk and Pol Pot 's hand are stained by Cambodian 's blood NOT USA sorry folks, Pol Pot was trained by Vietnam and Seihaknouk is very close friend with Vietnam,So Seihaknouk,China and Vietnam have to go to UN court ,that is right things to do,I strongly hope Seihaknouk,China and Vietnam are guilty. Seihaknouk slaughters of million Khmer and wily a manipulator.
3:10 PM
Khmer Pidoeum
Hey!you! Sihanouk! you must be brave to responsible what you do. Don't be coward man. I still remember that you was Beida kroub visay include Beida killing fields too.
All true Khmer compatriots, ladies and gentlemen,
Cambodia has cancers that were embedded into her by China+YUONS+Vietminh-CPP-Hun Sen+all royal crooks through traitor Sihanouk's flesh and blood, also through his YUON wife Monique and Sihanouk�s clique.
To have true and lasting peace for Cambodia these cancers have to be removed once and for all, either by the law of ECCC-KRT or by any means, as long as the majority of true Khmers agree with it.
If these cancers remain inside Cambodia, without proper treatment, YUONS will continue to swallow us bit by bit every day and China will gobble the whole region without mercy toward Cambodian land and all Khmer people. They will achieve this with the continued assistance of NORODOM SIHANOUK and HUN SEN.
KULEN MONOROM
(the rice farmer's son)
This is a crucial moment and task for king N.Sihanouk to coloring his nation's history at the ECCC. Cambodians are waiting for their justice for their beloved country which presently manipulating by north vietnam=vietcong=Khmervietmin =khmer rouge=cpp government that hiding and committed the mass killing in pol pot's regime then they did the show by deliberated Cambodia from the killing regime.There are alot of vietcongs who know speak Cambodian are still working secretly in Cambodia from the top to bottom cpp government including in the parliament and in the buddhism ministry,yet there are millions of civilian clothes army in Cambodia.I hope king sihanouk brave to unveil
this old suspicious blindfolds from national and international laws.
Seihaknouk is the treason and the international criminal against human in Cambodia ,please bring all the evidences and convict him because he did kill his own people for China and Vietnam.
Go to hell your animal blood N Seihaknouk.
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