PHNOM PENH, March 5 (Bernama) -- Cambodia will host a multinational peacekeeping exercise in 2010, as part of a U.S. State Department program, China's Xinhua news agency quoted a U.S. Embassy spokesman John Johnson as saying in a local daily Thursday.
"The Royal Government of Cambodia has agreed to host a multilateral peacekeeping training event in 2010 as part of the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI)... an annual Capstone training event attended by GPOI member nations and other regional and international partners," said Johnson.
The event will provide training in line with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, including "field tactical and command post operations," but the formal planning and preparation for the exercise will not begin until late this year, he added.
Nem Sowath, cabinet chief of the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense, confirmed that the country would host the GPOI Capstone event with U.S. assistance sometime next year.
"It is not a military exercise involving offensive maneuvers, but will train armed forces for peacekeeping operations," he added.
Pol Saroeun, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), also confirmed that the country will host the operation in 2010, but said that the Ministry of National Defense is coordinating the nations that will be involved, which he expects will include ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states.
Cambodia once joined international military exercises respectively in Bangladesh and Mongolia and also sent peacekeepers to Sudan for de-mining operations under the UN umbrella.
In April 2008, 40 Cambodian soldiers participated in a 3-week multi-national peacekeeping exercise in Bangladesh.
The U.S.-led mission was named "Ambassador of Peace" and involved some 400 soldiers from 12 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Nepal, Brunei, Mongolia, Tonga, Cambodia and the U.S.
In July 2007, 43 Cambodian soldiers took part in a military exercise for UN peacekeeping mission in Mongolia.
In addition, Cambodia sent 135 deminers to Sudan in 2006 for UN peacekeeping mission, and then 139 in June 2007 to replace the old ones. The deminers were renewed again in 2008.
"The Royal Government of Cambodia has agreed to host a multilateral peacekeeping training event in 2010 as part of the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI)... an annual Capstone training event attended by GPOI member nations and other regional and international partners," said Johnson.
The event will provide training in line with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, including "field tactical and command post operations," but the formal planning and preparation for the exercise will not begin until late this year, he added.
Nem Sowath, cabinet chief of the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense, confirmed that the country would host the GPOI Capstone event with U.S. assistance sometime next year.
"It is not a military exercise involving offensive maneuvers, but will train armed forces for peacekeeping operations," he added.
Pol Saroeun, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), also confirmed that the country will host the operation in 2010, but said that the Ministry of National Defense is coordinating the nations that will be involved, which he expects will include ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states.
Cambodia once joined international military exercises respectively in Bangladesh and Mongolia and also sent peacekeepers to Sudan for de-mining operations under the UN umbrella.
In April 2008, 40 Cambodian soldiers participated in a 3-week multi-national peacekeeping exercise in Bangladesh.
The U.S.-led mission was named "Ambassador of Peace" and involved some 400 soldiers from 12 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Nepal, Brunei, Mongolia, Tonga, Cambodia and the U.S.
In July 2007, 43 Cambodian soldiers took part in a military exercise for UN peacekeeping mission in Mongolia.
In addition, Cambodia sent 135 deminers to Sudan in 2006 for UN peacekeeping mission, and then 139 in June 2007 to replace the old ones. The deminers were renewed again in 2008.
