Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Cambodia Rejects US Claim on Debt

Prensa Latina (Cuba)

Phnom Penh, Febr. 17 (PL) Cambodia rejected this Monday the United States' complaint about the 339 million dollar debt contracted by Lon Nol's regime after defeating the monarchy in 1970.

The Cambodian government declared the illegal administration of the country was responsible for the indebtedness and, therefore, the current executive has no responsibility whatsoever in the liquidation of such an amount, said its official spokesman, Khieu Kanharith.

Phnom Penh's reaction occurred after the US undersecretary of State to East Asia and the Pacific, Scot Marcial, urged Cambodia to sign an agreement to renegotiate the debt.

The government spokesman rejected Washington's demand relating to the outstanding bills of General Lon Nol (1970-1975) due to the low interest financing of farming products.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

We must not forget the pain and suffering inflicted upon the Cambodian people by US bombings between 1970-73 which resulted in over half a million deaths.

Our government in Phnom Penh should file a law suit against the American government in the world court.

If each Cambodian where to receive $10,000 per death. That means Washington owes Cambodia 5 billion dollars up to date not including interests since 1972!

We urge Samdech Hun Sen and the royal government of Cambodia file an immediate lawsuit as soon as possible.

Until this action is rendered, the spirits of our Khmer compatriots may not rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

Based on international law, every government of any country must pay back all debt to their creditors regardless which is their precedent government, legal or illegal. For example, the current democratic government of Nigeria still repays debt left over from the previous military government. In this case, the current government in Cambodia must repay all debt from previous governments, including all debts Hun Sen has owed to former Soviet Union and other former communist bloc in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, all those debts can be written off or canceled by the creditors if the current government can request them for debt cancellation in a polite manner.

Anonymous said...

My friends; US can forgive this small to Cambodia, which US had done to many countries around the world. But only way is Cambodian government know how work around this problem. Only Smart government know how.

Anonymous said...

cambodian government should sue nixon administration for the bombing !

Anonymous said...

These donkeys are too small to go against these elephants ... would you think?

Apparently, the U.S. has recently and gradually insert enormous pressure on the ruling party. Plus, the ruling party will have major challenges ahead of them.

I hope they don't scare those foreign investors.

Anonymous said...

Why are we protecting the ruling party?

Why just let the government scramble themselves to find this money to pay the U.S.?

We should not pretect the ruling party.

Why let the PM, DPM and FM answer the U.S. instead of protecting them.

Anonymous said...

I'm OK with 8:47 AM
It is logical that Americans claim these debts at its puppet Lon Nol.

Anonymous said...

I think all of this, just part of the politic to make Cambodia people upset not to support Mr.Obama to win the election,I Believe if U.S.A want to claim these debts from Cambodia is not the right time,
That's My point of view.

Anonymous said...

We all know full well now that these loans ended up to corrupt officials, it happened in lon Nol time, in KR to starve people but send product in return to China, also in this current government which is well known of corruption nationally and internationally.

Why poor cambodians continue to suffer!!! Come on God king please explain????

Anonymous said...

No one can serve two masters, For either he will hate the one and love the other,Or els he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. And only time well reveal the truth, The peace will restore to his people.

Anonymous said...

USA must reclaim debts to the Vietnamese-Hanoi, indebted by Ngyuen Van Thieu, Kao Ky. Not only Cambodian, indebted by Lon Nol!
Kaun Khmer