AFP
PHNOM PENH — Cambodian and US officials held talks on Thursday to explore ways of settling a decades-old "dirty debt" of more than $400 million, both sides said.
The low-interest loans from the US were given to the government of General Lon Nol after it came to power in a US-backed coup in 1970.
Cambodia says the money helped pay for a devastating bombing campaign on the country by US forces targeting Khmer Rouge guerrillas in the early 1970s.
Prime Minister Hun Sen last year called for the "dirty debt" to be cancelled, but the government softened its stance after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in November that Washington was willing to discuss alternative ways for Cambodia to repay the sum.
A Phnom Penh meeting between US Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Joseph Yun and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong was the first step in that direction, the US embassy said in a statement.
During the talks, Hor Namhong asked the US to lower the interest rate on the loans from three percent to one, foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said.
Phnom Penh also requested that 70 percent of the debt be converted into development assistance for Cambodia, he said, without giving further details.
The remainder of the amount would be paid to Washington, he added.
"Our real wish is that... we want it to be cancelled. (But) we have to find common ground that we all can agree on. We cannot resolve it if we stick to a point that they do not agree with," Koy Kuong said.
Yun did not talk to reporters after the meeting but the US embassy said the US hopes "an agreement can be reached soon".
"Such an agreement would enhance Cambodia's creditworthiness and ability to access international capital markets," the statement said.
By the end of 2009, Cambodia's debt to the US totalled approximately $445 million, it added.
Washington was the main financial and military supporter of Lon Nol's regime until it was toppled by the Khmer Rouge movement in April 1975.
Officially, the loans were to develop the country's agriculture sector and boost commodities exports.
21 comments:
My friends, do you know that all comrades from the guerrilla party, especially the 1-eyed dictator's clan, become billionaires and magnates completely emptyhanded over night after seizuring power 30 some years ago. I am sure that CPP and its gangs are rich enough to pay off every single penny left over 40 some years ago -- a debt must be paid, and there's no way to disown it.
They can pay, but it's not fair to ask Cambodian pay for this. It was Lon Nol and American war. Lon Nol borrowed this money to keep some in his pocket and some to buy weapons helping Americans fight in the Vietnam war. What we got from Lon Nol's war? Nothing beside the eventual Khmer Rouge regime.
11:55
Whoever reigns Cambodia over 30 years should pay off the debt, which belongs to a country still named CAMBODIA. CPP are smart enough to figure out what's written in INTERNATIONAL LAW(s).
1:06 am
Nobody said we shouldn't pay. Just saying it's unfair, and that Lon Nol government got us in to this shit.
1:06
I'm sorry CPP won the war, not the battle. After seizuring power, the winner knew well that he would clear up the mess (debt! debt!)the loser left behind. That's the side effect. CPP, you can't win forever. Why don't you shup up and pay with your dirty money from corruption for dirty debt.
i think dirty debts like this must be washed away if we were to clean up cambodia, really!
Who initiated the debt in the first place?
If the US involved us into the Vietnam war. They initiated the bombing "suppose" the Viet Cong sanctuaries. I wondered how many enemies of US were actually killed by those tons of bombs being dropped.
Yep, Cambodians have to pay the industrialist that created those bombs to kill ourselves in the first place. They put a yoke on our necks to fight the war on their behalf and make us pay for it too. Sweet sweet of the IMF & World Bank.
It was all about making money for the industrialists who manufactured the weapons. The US intent was not to win the war in South East Asia but to create a conflict so they can advanced their New World Order.
វ៉ៃក្បាលហ្អែងបែកឈាមហើយ.... ចាប់បោចសក់ក្បាលហ្អែងឱ្យសងបំណុលទៀត!
ធើក្ដស្អីអញ..!
look in real issues, all foreign debts are paid by people of Cambodia and are not by a Party or government who is the richest people and try to make poor people more suffer. It is the real things now. This money for USA is very small amount to USA economic development now. If USA can return all money to help poor people by control by USAID project is the best way to help the poor, but if USA give this money to government I think government will do a bit thing and take big thing for their own people. I wish government lend money from oversea to development country, but it do not develop for CPP and corruption. u have to help the poor and economic development because khmer people died a lot in many wars and not happy with daily life. Please find the way to help them better life and living in peace.
We should not pay back this money!...Its America's dirty games and Gen. Lon Nol's fault, they are the one suppose to pay this dirty debt or responsible for?...I blamed US for bombards cambodian, now they make us pay them?...After they bombard cambodian with ton ton ton of B-52 BOMB?
Khmer should count all US B-52 ponds dropped in Cambodia territory.
Each US B-52 pond cost them 50,000,000 US dollars.
Its US Pre. Nixon and Kissenger fault, they started all of these SHIT!! They even left cambodia and turn cambodian into a killing field zone...They make us pay them, right after they fuck us up so bad......?? mother fucker!
It was the debt for American's cause and the Cambodia's suffering. Now we have to pay the American for helping putting us in the KHMER ROUGE KILLING FIELDS, millions suffering in the aftermath and our intellectuals killed. Cambodia shouldn't be the way we are...if it wasn't for the U.S bombings.
oh, thanks for the loans!
Some people think America is God? Think again man! Everywhere around the world America fuck everything up and make you pay them back...the rest of your life and your grand children continue to pay your debt too..? Oh yes, they knew how to play God!
US is evil Govts!
Human Righ! Human Right! American goverment had bombed B-52 killed innocent cambodians included babies, infants, disable people, young kids, teenagers, women, men, elderly about one millions lifes during American bomb cambodia. American goverment allow their Amry using chemical weapons to toxic innocent cambodians from generation to generation!
Human Right ! Human Right! American! Human Right! American! Human Right! Where are Human Right for lifes that had been lost by American bomb?
KI, Voice of America in Khmer, Radio free asia, Radio France International we want to hear more about American bomb Cambodia at that time debate more, more and more. As professional radio you guy shouldn't try to silence and forget about this injustice for khmer lifes that have been murdered by US B-52 and chemiscal weapons of US ARMY!
Guys! Cambodian people have peace now after long civile war. Please let's khmer people live in peace and khmer people now can go anywhere in cambodia without the fear of Pol Pot now. Please let's us in peace we are sick of war and revolution as history teach very well about revolution at 1970 to now.
At 1970 all students and well educated people were support the revolution of Khmer rouge but after khmer rouge win they murdered all students and well educated people because khmer rouge scare of these people do revolution as they did to Non Nol regime. We learn from the history very well so we are cambodian people say no to any revolution.
Hun Sen may be not the best leader in the world but so far my families and majority of cambodian people live in peace and can walk or do whatever we want with no restriction as Khmer Rouge regime.
So we are happy that Hun Sen remain in power. So we still have peace in Cambodia. Plus Hun Sen already rich so he may not want more money as leader coming at all. At 1993, Cambodian people gave the opportunity to Doctor Prince to demonstrated democracy to develop Cambodia but Doctor Prince as well as his party members are so currupted and so cheap and hungry for money that is why as the result they have today. Nobody belive in them anymore.
In 1997 a lot khmer belive in Doctor Prince and his party have been murdered but Doctor Prince as well as his party member can't even dare to find justice for them till today. They are using innocent cambodian people to gain their power to currupt again that's all.
CPP look down on Doctor Prince and his party member because of that! Money hunger.
Hun Sen May not a perfect prime minister but so far Cambodian people live in peace now. We like Hun Sen remain in power so we can have peace.
How many people in Cambodia were killed by the U.S. bombings on Cambodia, and why today they are all countes as victims of Pol Pot genocide?
Shame on you USA
USA droped boom in Cambodia and khmer people died a lot, now they want money for what??? why USA always right??? Now USA is taking other people around the world for military invasion. where can find fair for people who died in America war? Cambodia is not USA military exercise and took khmer people as target. Khmers are Human life. They are not game for USA playing anymore. We have to be strong and try to development and stop rely on USA.
I BLAME U.S BOMBS CAMBODIA, BECAUSE OF SIHANOUK BETRAY CAMBODIA AND ENDANGER DEMOCRACY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BY FUNDING COMMUNIST VIETCONG WITH FOODS, WEAPONS SO THAT COMMUNIST CAN VIETCONG CAN OVERCOME DEMOCRACY AND TAKE ROOTS IN S.E ASIA IN TURN DEFEAT U.S. TROOPS DURING VIET'S THIEF WAR.
NOW THAT COMMUNIST HAS CONQUERS S.E. ASIA WHICH GIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR VIET THIEF TO CONTROL CAMBODIA AND LOAS AS WE SEE TODAY, SO WE ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE KHMER ARE SO WEAK AND COMMUNIST VIETCONG ARE SO POWERFUL, THAT'S WHY WE ARE BEING BRAINWASH TO BE PROUD OF BEING SUBMISSIVE AND PROUD OF BEING A VIET'S PUPPET.
IS SIHANOUK OR AMERICAN IS TO BLAME?
AMERICAN CANNOT HELP CAMBODIA UNLESS CAMBODIA WANTED TO HELP THEMSELF!
AND FOR VIET THIEF! BELIEVE ME THEY WANTED YOU TO BLAME AMERICA!
WITHOUT AMERICA WE DON'T KNOW HOW FAR COMMUNIST VIETCONG ADVANCE WEST!
SO WE CAN BLAME AMERICAN FOR BOMBING JUST BECAUSE AMERICA IS FIGHTING FOR TO STABLE AND TO SUPPORT STRONG DEMOCRACY IN S.E. ASIA?
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