Clinton Presses Cambodia on China

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton looks at a wall of faces of those killed by the Khmer Rouge regime during a tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, formerly the regime's notorious S-21 prison, on Monday. (Associated Press)

NOVEMBER 1, 2010
By JAY SOLOMON
The Wall Street Journal

PHNOM PENH—U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed Cambodia to remain independent of China on key economic and environmental issues, as she continued a pan-Asian tour aimed at expanding Washington's diplomatic influence in the region.

To support her campaign, Mrs. Clinton told Cambodian officials Monday that the Obama administration was willing to explore new mechanisms through which to retire nearly $450 million in debts accrued by Phnom Penh's Vietnam War-era government.

Mrs. Clinton also told Prime Minister Hun Sen's government that she will seek to raise more funding for a United Nations-backed tribunal set to try leaders of the Khmer Rouge government that committed genocide in Cambodia during its 1975-1979 reign.

The U.N.-supported court is scheduled to begin prosecuting four of the Khmer Rouge's most senior officials early next year, but the process has been hobbled by financing shortfalls and squabbles over the selection of judges.

To date, Washington has provided $5 million to the tribunal.

"We are committed to help Cambodia hold accountable those senior Khmer Rouge leaders most responsible for atrocities," Mrs. Clinton said at a press conference with her Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong. "And I want to urge the Cambodian government to offer its full support to the Tribunal."

Cambodia marks the third country stop on the U.S. secretary's seven-nation Asia-Pacific tour, which is aimed at enhancing the nation's presence in a region increasingly under the influence of China's economy and military.

On Saturday, Mrs. Clinton attended a regional conference in Vietnam that was dominated by China's festering maritime disputes with Japan and a number of Southeast Asia countries. The U.S.'s top diplomat urged the attendees of the East Asia Summit to establish an international legal process through which to mediate these disputes, drawing the ire of Beijing, which views all of the South China Sea as sovereign Chinese territory.

Cambodia is among the Southeast Asian nations that U.S. officials privately worry is the most under Beijing's sway. China is among Phnom Penh 's largest single aid donors, and Chinese firms dominate Cambodia's infrastructure sector. Prime Minister Hun Sen has often sided with Beijing on key regional security issues.

On Monday, Mrs. Clinton attended a town hall meeting with Cambodian students in Phnom Penh and was asked her view on the Hun Sen government's relationship with China. The former First Lady said the U.S. encouraged strong relations between Phnom Penh and Beijing but believed Cambodia should hew to an independent foreign policy.

"It's up to your government and your people to determine your own relationships with other countries," Mrs. Clinton told the gathering of 700 students and representatives of nongovernmental organizations. "But I think it's smart for Cambodia to be friends with many countries. Look for balance. You don't want to become too dependent on any one country."

Mrs. Clinton also said Phnom Penh should hold discussions with Beijing to address concerns that Chinese policies are disrupting Cambodia's economic development and harming its economy. She specifically cited China's damming of the upper Mekong River and its impact on Cambodian agriculture.

"I think there also important issues that China must raise with China. For example, I mentioned the Mekong River," Mrs. Clinton said.

Mr. Hor, the Cambodian foreign minister, declined during the press conference to comment on China-Cambodia relations.

Mrs. Clinton also said Monday the Obama administration hoped the Cambodian government would allow the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain an office. Hun Sen's government has indicated it might close the office after disagreements with its chief representative.

Mr. Hor, however, said during the press conference that no decision had yet been made.

Write to Jay Solomon at jay.solomon@wsj.com