DPA
Phnom Penh - US Senator Jim Webb made a lightning visit to Cambodia on Tuesday as part of a regional trip designed to 'invigorate the relationship' between the United States and South-East Asian nations.
Webb is in the region in his capacity as chairman of the Sub-Committee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs for the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. His trip takes in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
At a press conference in Phnom Penh on Tuesday ahead of a scheduled meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Webb was asked about the ongoing crackdown by the Cambodian government against its opponents.
The question followed a strong European Union statement issued earlier in August in which the EU warned that the government's actions could narrow Cambodia's democratic space.
Webb would not be drawn on whether or how the US would exert pressure on Phnom Penh to respect democratic rights, saying only that the US wants to do 'what we can to encourage political diversity in Cambodia.'
'As a part of my visit here I met with the leaders of two of the opposition groups to hear their views, and we had [a] discussion with respect to the issues that you mentioned, and we will continue to listen to people from all sides,' Webb said. 'I listened in great detail to the concerns of the two opposition leaders on that topic.'
He was more forthcoming on the Trade Act of 2009, a measure introduced by Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein to provide duty-free access to the US market for garments made in 14 least-developed countries.
Cambodia, whose economically vital garment industry has been battered over the past year, would benefit from the passage of the bill. However the legislation is currently languishing in the US Senate.
'That issue was the subject of a pretty lengthy discussion with the minister of commerce, and I committed to him that we'll take a very close look at the legislation,' Webb said.
Webb said one key concern is that labour standards in beneficiary countries should meet international standards.
'It's very important to the Democratic Party in the United States to make sure we have a fair playing field among our workers and workers overseas,' he explained. 'That being said, the minister made a very compelling case for us to look at that legislation and we will do that when we get back.'
Webb leaves Cambodia later on Tuesday headed to Vietnam.
Webb is in the region in his capacity as chairman of the Sub-Committee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs for the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. His trip takes in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
At a press conference in Phnom Penh on Tuesday ahead of a scheduled meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Webb was asked about the ongoing crackdown by the Cambodian government against its opponents.
The question followed a strong European Union statement issued earlier in August in which the EU warned that the government's actions could narrow Cambodia's democratic space.
Webb would not be drawn on whether or how the US would exert pressure on Phnom Penh to respect democratic rights, saying only that the US wants to do 'what we can to encourage political diversity in Cambodia.'
'As a part of my visit here I met with the leaders of two of the opposition groups to hear their views, and we had [a] discussion with respect to the issues that you mentioned, and we will continue to listen to people from all sides,' Webb said. 'I listened in great detail to the concerns of the two opposition leaders on that topic.'
He was more forthcoming on the Trade Act of 2009, a measure introduced by Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein to provide duty-free access to the US market for garments made in 14 least-developed countries.
Cambodia, whose economically vital garment industry has been battered over the past year, would benefit from the passage of the bill. However the legislation is currently languishing in the US Senate.
'That issue was the subject of a pretty lengthy discussion with the minister of commerce, and I committed to him that we'll take a very close look at the legislation,' Webb said.
Webb said one key concern is that labour standards in beneficiary countries should meet international standards.
'It's very important to the Democratic Party in the United States to make sure we have a fair playing field among our workers and workers overseas,' he explained. 'That being said, the minister made a very compelling case for us to look at that legislation and we will do that when we get back.'
Webb leaves Cambodia later on Tuesday headed to Vietnam.
10 comments:
Oh come on. Jim and all American politicians knew about Hun Sen's work. The US closed its eyes but supported Vietnam and ignored what has been happening in Cambodia under Vietnam quiet invasion in Cambodia. Come on ! come on Jim WEBB, cut it out would you? People this day are not stupid, they have internet news to read and to follow what is happening around the world.
It is about the US-Vietnam strategy to isolate the SEA nations from China, and it is about the DAMS in China that caused Vietnam becoming so paranoid.
Recently million Vietnamese around the world are trying to sign petition and ask the world to help to free Vietnam from China's expansionism.
Jim Webb, I hate to say this "Hun Sen is not eductaed but a brutal gang leader, somehow he is smart enough to know Jim and your new Vietnamese wife's games."
watch out for mr. jim webb who happened to have a viet wife. khmer people never trust people with viet wife. no wonder he makes a hasty stop in cambodia because he is probably aware that khmer people don't like people with viet wife. simply, viet wife is a bitch and will always dictate to their husband in order to influence him. however, they can't influience gay men because gay men don't marry woman anyway!
i think what mr. jim webb fail to understand is that the political problem in cambodia is not so much problematic due to the actual political process, it has more to do with the way those politician approach one another, the way they use rude, profanity language at each other, disrespectful toward others, etc... this is the real problem. you have to see it to understand. i don't think it's about suppression or oppression or lack of political diversity, etc... it's how those individual interact with one another is what seem to cause all the argument that often mistook as dictatorial or oppression, etc... i mean really, everyone needs to be educated on perhaps social skills which of course, the stupid KR made it worst and had none. everyone needs to take seriously the skill of social sciences, especially how to deal with each other in gov't. yes, it has more to do with personal differences than political or cultural ones. everyone needs to understand that when you are in a public office or a public figure like leadership and so forth, you have to think differently and act differently. of course, people expect you to behave highly with exemplary and with honor and integrity and so forth. otherwise, everyone will be the prime minister or the general or the king or queen, etc...it doesn't work that way, so, when one is given the privilege of these prestige positions, it pays to be cautious not to look bad and behave badly in the public view, etc.... doesn't it make sense here? please think smartly about it. wake up already! we are not bornt yesterday, you know. learn to respect each other again. khmer culture required and called for respect, honor, integrity and so forth! please act your age. thank you.
Actually, Cambodia has a more advanced union system than many Asian countries including VN and Thailand. So, had he done his homework, he would have known that fact.
Come on Jim is your mission is to defense democracy or your cummunist wife?
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Tortures
Executions
Massacres
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Overwork to Death
Slavery
Rapes
Human Abuses
Assault and Battery
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leader of the Free Trade Union
Attempted Assassinations on Chea Vichea and Sam Rainsy
Attempted Murders on Chea Vichea and Sam Rainsy
Executed members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders members and activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Killings
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and others military official on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Remove Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Under Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed all of these crimes above within Hun Sen Khmer Rouge government have ever been brought to justice.
UNDER AGE CHILD SEX
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed under age child sex.
Svay Sitha is a senior government official from Cambodian People's Party.
Svay Sitha had a sexual relationship with Tat Marina, she was only 16 years old.
Source: Human Rights Watch
ACID ATTACK ON TAT MARINA
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed acid attack.
"On December 5, 1999, Tat Marina, age 16, was severely disfigured in an acid attack in Phnom Penh. The attack was allegedly committed by Khun Sophal, the wife of a senior government official, Svay Sitha, because she was angry her husband had a sexual relationship with Tat Marina. Neither Khun Sophal nor those suspected of being her accomplices in the attack were brought to justice. Intense media publicity compelled the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Khun Sophal for attempted murder, but the police claimed that they could not locate her, although journalists reported that she was living at home as usual."
Source: Human Rights Watch
TORTURE AND MURDER ON PRAK SITHA WHILE IN CUSTODY BY MISNISTRY OF INTERIOR OFFICIAL
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed torture and murder.
"On the night of January 16, 2003, a street youth named Prak Sitha was beaten to death at the Ministry of Interior (MOI) headquarters after he was arrested and detained by off-duty MOI officers on suspicion of theft. His body - bearing numerous injuries to the head, torso, arms, and legs - was dumped at a Phnom Penh pagoda the following morning by ministry officers, in violation of police regulations regarding deaths in custody. No criminal charges were filed in connection with this death. In December 2004, the case was cited by the UN secretary-general's special representative for human rights in Cambodia - who stated that Prak Sitha died at the ministry "following beatings by a known police officer" - as an example of a "consistent and continuing pattern of impunity" in Cambodia."
Source: Human Rights Watch
PUT SAMPHORS WAS SHOT DEAD BY MEAN SOKCHEA, A RCAF MAJOR WORKING IN BRIGADE 70.
Hun Sen's personal Bodyguards Unit (Brigade 70) is a terrorist organization.
Hing Bunheang is a March 30, 1997 Grenade Attack suspect identified by the FBI.
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed murder, again.
"On September 4, 2008, Mean Sokchea, a RCAF major working in Brigade 70, shot dead 21-year-old waitress Put Samphors at a restaurant in Kandal province. Mean Sokchea, in a drunken stupor, fired his gun and apparently mistakenly hit Put Samphors in the stomach. She was taken to a hospital but later died of her wounds. Mean Sokchea was detained by the police overnight but was then released, allegedly after intervention by Hing Bun Heang. Put Samphor's family received US$2,700 from Mean Sokchea, and the police told them that their daughter was shot while authorities were chasing robbers."
Source: Human Rights Watch
Jim is on his mission to isolate SEA nations from China. Have you seen petitions by the Vietnamese across the world? They said
SAVE VIETNAM FROM CHINA'S EXPANSIONISM.
Oh yeah how about GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY, DO MAI AH YOUN KATORB?
China controls water and China can flood or stop flowing water to Vietnam any time. This is the best and superb strategy China has.
It is a biggest mistake for the US to send Jim Webb who married to a Vietnamese woman to Cambodia.
I thought the US is getting smarter about Cambodians how they feel toward Vietnamese. They hate them.
The Socilaists in the US screwed up big time. Blame the stupidest liberals.
About the DAMS in China and inspite of million petitions by the Vietanmese to stop China's expansionism, it won't help Vietnam. This time Ho Chi Minh will be screwed up too. Those 10 submarines cannot afford to load 80million Viets in it.
khmer/china friendship forever! china will always be khmer friends along with america, of course! every like everybody, well, except historical enemies youn and siem! god bless cambodia.
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