Killer Hor Nam Hong Meets US Senator Over War-Era Debt

Cambodian Foreign Minister Killer Hor Namhong met with Senator Jim Webb, of Virginia, this week, to discuss how Cambodia might be forgiven war-era debt to the US. "I proposed through the senator to urge the US government to send a delegation to negotiate the debt issue with the Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance," Hor Namhong the Killer told VOA Khmer in an exclusive interview after the meeting on Wednesday. "I have also suggested a review on the possibility of renegotiating on the debt and its arrears in a fair way so that we can completely solve the debt between the two countries." Cambodia owes more than $400 million on pre-Khmer Rouge borrowing. (Men Kimseng in Washington with exclusive TV interview.)

RFA Latest Update

Topics: Clinton, Hor Nam Hong, Sam Rainsy, BKL

Foreign Minister, Clinton Meet Amid Growing Rights Concerns

Cambodia's foreign minister met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington on Tuesday, amid growing concerns over Cambodia's rights record and complaints of election irregularities in polls last week. Clinton will travel to Cambodia for a major Asean conference in Phnom Penh next month, where she said the US has "many issues to discuss." Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said after the meeting the Cambodia was seeking greater US investment in Cambodia.

Killer's update from RFA

Demonstration in Washington, DC on June 12

Public Announcement:

Cambodians to demonstrate at US Department in Washington, DC

on June 12, 2012 in time for Hor Nam Hong's visit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5S0sC-03gk

ភ្នំពេញ អស់ផ្លូវបំបែក សមរង្ស៊ី?

រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ការបរទេស​៖​លោក​​​​​សមរង្ស៊ី​ប្រឈម​នឹង​ការ​ដកហូត​លិខិត​ឆ្លងដែន​ការទូត​

​ថ្ងៃ ចន្ទ 11 មិថុនា 2012
ដោយ លី ម៉េងហួរ
Radio France Internationale

អំពីដំណើរ ទៅកាន់ សហរដ្ឋ អាមេរិក របស់លោក ហោ ណាំហុង ក៏ត្រូវបាន គេរាយការណ៍ មកថា ខ្មែរនៅ អាមេរិក គ្រោងធ្វើបាតុកម្ម ប្រឆាំង លោក ហោ ណាំហុង

លោក​​ហោ ណាំហុង​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ការបរទេស​​កម្ពុជា​ បាន​បញ្ជាក់​​ថា​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​​កម្ពុជា​នឹង​​ពិចារណា​​លើ​​ការ​ដក​ហូត​​លិខិត​ឆ្លង​ដែន​​ការទូត​ពី​​មេដឹក​នាំ​​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​ លោក​ សមរង្ស៊ី​ ខណៈ​​ដែល​​លោក​ សមរង្ស៊ី​ ជាប់​​ឈ្មោះ​ក្នុង​​បញ្ជី​​ពិរុទ្ធជន​។​ លោក​​សម​រង្ស៊ី​ត្រូវ​បាន​​តុលាការ​ ប្រទេស​​កម្ពុជា​ផ្តន្ទាទោស​​កំបាំង​មុខ​ដាក់​​ពន្ធនាគារ​​ជាង ​១០ ​ឆ្នាំ​ក្នុង​​រឿង​​ព្រំដែន​​កម្ពុជា​​-​វៀតណាម​។​​

ក្នុងពេលចេញដំណើរទៅកាន់សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក ដើម្បីបំពេញដំណើរទស្សនកិច្ចផ្លូវការ នា​ថ្ងៃ​១២​មិថុនា លោក ហោ ណាំហុង រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសកម្ពុជា បានថ្លែងថា រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា នឹងពិនិត្យនៅថ្ងៃក្រោយ លើការសម្រេចដកហូតលិខិតឆ្លងដែនការទូត ពីលោក សម រង្ស៊ី។
ឆ្លើយតបនឹងសំណួរអ្នកកាសែត លោក ហោ ណាំហុង បានបញ្ជាក់យ៉ាងខ្លីថា អាជ្ញាធរ​មាន​សមត្ថកិច្ច​នឹងពិនិត្យទៅថ្ងៃក្រោយ ចំពោះការដកហូតលិខិតឆ្លងដែនការទូត ពីលោក​សមរង្ស៊ី។

លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ប្រធានគណបក្សប្រឆាំងសមរង្ស៊ី កំពុងនិរទសខ្លួននៅក្រៅប្រទេស គឺជា​អ្នក​តំណាងរាស្ត្រដែលកាន់លិខិតឆ្លងដែនការទូត។ ក៏ប៉ុន្តែលោកសមរង្ស៊ី ត្រូវបានតុលាការកម្ពុជា ផ្តន្ទាទោសកំបាំងមុខ ដាក់ពន្ធនាគារសរុបជាង ១០ ឆ្នាំ ក្នុងរឿងព្រំដែនកម្ពុជា-វៀតណាម កាល​ពីដើមឆ្នាំ២០១០។

Cambodian, Thai FMs pledge to intensify bilateral cooperation

PHNOM PENH, Dec 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's foreign minister Hor Namhong and his visiting Thai counterpart Surapong Tovichakchaikul on Thursday agreed to boost bilateral cooperation in all fields for the interests of both people and countries.

"We had agreed to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation on trade, investment, tourism, and humanitarian activities," Hor Namhong told reporters in a joint press briefing after a one-hour meeting with Surapong.

Both sides agreed to work together to open a new Stung Bath border checkpoint near Poipet checkpoint in Banteay Meanchey province as soon as possible to cope with the increasing growth of goods and tourists between the two nations, he said.

Thai Foreign Minister visits Cambodia

BANGKOK, Dec 29 (MCOT) -- Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul left Thailand for Cambodia Thursday morning to strengthen bilateral ties and prepare for the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting which will resume soon.

Mr Surapong told reporters at Suvarnabhumi Airport that during his two-day visit, he will meet his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong to follow up agreements made during Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to Phnom Penh in September.

The Thai foreign minister will discuss preparations for the Thai-Cambodian boundary meeting which is expected to resume soon and also ask for clarification from Cambodia on the Dec 15 shooting incident when Cambodian troops fired on a Thai helicopter in order to better understand the circumstances.

The Royal Thai Navy helicopter was shot in mid-air while delivering food to a military base situated near the Cambodian border in Trat province. No one was injured but the helicopter was slightly damaged and was forced to make an emergency landing.

Mr Surapong said he would seek more details on the latest developments regarding two Thai activists jailed in Cambodia for espionage charges after their Cambodian lawyer yesterday withdrew their appeal against the verdict of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance, opening the way to seek a royal pardon from the Cambodian king.

New skirmishes on Thai-Cambodian border

30 April 2011
AFP

PHNOM PENH — Sporadic clashes broke out on the tense Thai-Cambodian border Saturday, both sides said, casting doubt on peace efforts as the countries’ bloodiest conflict in decades stretched into a ninth day.

The latest hostilities at two ancient temples on the disputed jungle frontier erupted just hours after Cambodia announced a second truce agreement in as many days, although Bangkok denied knowledge of a new deal.

“Even though there is a recent ceasefire agreement... Thailand still breached it,” Cambodia’s Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters in Phnom Penh.

“There were exchange of firing last night and this morning,” he said. “It shows that we cannot trust our counterpart.”

Minute of the 2nd Meeting of the Joint Border Commission 2 June 2008 & Hor Namhong's letter

http://www.box.net/shared/ilpae5oxyz

Boundary talks show signs of progress [-Did the Bangkok Post reporter miss the news from Bogor?]

11/04/2011
Thanida Tansubhapol
Bangkok Post

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia are improving gradually, after they agreed to resume Joint Boundary Commission talks last week in Indonesia.

The two-day JBC talks in Bogor ended last Friday, with both sides still sticking to their original positions on how their border dispute should be settled.

However, the fact that the two sides agreed to resume the talks - held for the first time in a third country - is a step forward and holds out hope for an eventual end to their border row.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, current Asean chairman, called the meeting after Cambodian and Thai troops clashed around the Preah Vihear temple on Feb 4-7.

Petty politics not an option [-Thailand's ambivalence does not help either]

11/04/2011
Bangkok Post

EDITORIAL

The seldom invigorating diplomacy between Bangkok and Phnom Penh has hit another low point. Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong spoke to reporters in Jakarta on the weekend, reminding them that pretty well every negative development is all Thailand's fault.

In addition, he can't trust Thailand, because he finds them difficult to deal with. All this and much more came hours before meetings with Thailand and other Asean members. The Cambodian minister declared all efforts to raise the diplomatic conversation to be a failure, even before they took place.

This was hardly the first time a senior member of the Cambodian or Thai governments has misspoken about bilateral relations. It was a timely reminder of the dreary exchanges between the two governments, and their attempts to use the media to carry their messages.

Hor Namhong to meet UN Security Council to report clashes with Thai troops

Border clash evidence to be presented to UNSC

BANGKOK, Feb 11 (MCOT online news) -- Thailand's Foreign Ministry has collected evidence on the recent Thai-Cambodian border clashes to clarify to a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York on Monday, the ministry spokesman said here Friday.

Thani Thongphakdi, Director-General of the Department of Information, said the briefing was expected to last about an hour or an hour and a half.

It would be a closed-door meeting to be attended by Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong, and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa in his capacity as the current chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in which Thailand and Cambodia both are members.

The meeting has been scheduled at 10am local time, he said.

Cambodian FM to attend UNSC meeting over Cambodia-Thai border dispute

February 09, 2011
Xinhua

The United Nations Security Council will hold its meeting on Feb. 14 to discuss over the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday afternoon.

Cambodia will send Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, to explain the meeting about Thai aggression into Cambodian territory near the 11th century temple, said Hun Sen while closing the annual conference of the Ministry of Commerce.

"Now the United Nations Security Council decided to hold the meeting on Monday, the minister Hor Namhong is preparing documents to explain to the UNSC meeting," he said. "We will meet each other at the UNSC."

Bangkok Post reporters cannot read English? They misquoted KI-Media!!!

KI-Media Note: The Bangkok Post reported the following news. It attributed to KI-Media of reporting that Hor Namhong accused Thailand of instigating each of the four clashes. In fact KI-Media only reported that Hor Namhong "discussed about the situation of the attack by Thai troops on 4 occasions". The original post by KI-Media is available here, and the original article in Khmer from Kampuchea Thmey which KI-Media translated from is available here.

Hor Namhong claims Thais fired first

8/02/2011

Bangkok Post

The Cambodian foreign minister has told the Asean chairman, Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa, that the Thai military began firing first in the four clashes on the border over the last few days.

Cambodia’s KI Media website reported that Hor Namhong, the Cambodian foreign minister, had discussed the conflict with Mr Natalegawa in Phnom Penh on Monday.

The website says that during the meeting Hor Namhong accused Thailand of instigating each of the four clashes, begining on Feb 4.

The Cambodian foreign minister said after the meeting that he told Mr Natalegawa that five Cambodian soldiers were killed and 45 others were injured, according to the website. People in disputed areas had been evacuated.

Mr Natalegawa said he wanted both countries to end their violent dispute.

He urged them to put down their weapons and return to the negotiating table because both countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Vietnam, another Asean member, has also called on Phnom Penh and Bangkok to end their border conflict around Preah Vihear temple through peaceful negotiations based on international law and the United Nations charter.

Judge summons Sam Rainsy to clarify in the accusation on Hor 5 Hong being a KR leader

Click on the summons to zoom in

20 Sept 2010
Ly Hov
Cambodia Express News
Translated from Khmer by Soy

Phnom Penh – It is an old case, however the judge recently brought up this case in order to conduct an investigation on the lawsuit against opposition leader Sam Rainsy who is accused of defamation and disinformation. The lawsuit was brought up by Hor Namhong whom Sam Rainsy claimed he was a former KR leader.

The summons dated 09 September 2010 and signed by judge Duch Kim Sorn from the Phnom Penh municipal court ordered Sam Rainsy to show up to court on 28 September at 2:30PM to provide clarification in this case.

The judge stipulated that if Sam Rainsy does not show as summoned, then the judge will issue an arrest warrant against him.

During the anniversary commemorating the KR victims at the Choeung Ek Memorial on 17 April 2008, Sam Rainsy accused [Hor Namhong] the minister of Foreign Affairs of being the former Boeng Trabek jail chief under the KR regime. Boeng Trabek was a KR detention center. Sam Rainsy also claimed that Hor Namhong was involved in the killing of intellectuals and royal family members.

Immediately after this declaration, Hor Namhong initiated two lawsuits against Sam Rainsy: one in Phnom Penh and the other in Paris.

The French appeal court decided to let Hor Namhong win in this case [and Sam Rainsy must pay him 1 euro in compensation].

Sam Rainsy is currently living in exile in France after he was charged with uprooting border stakes in Svay Rieng on 25 October 2009. He was sentenced in absentia to two years of jail time in this case.

The 60-year-old opposition leader is also facing between 5 to 18 years of jail time after he was accused of falsifying maps to explain that the border stakes in Svay Rieng led to the loss of Cambodian territories.

Sam Rainsy is also still embroiled in another lawsuit brought up by Kep Chuktema, the Phnom Penh city governor, because Sam Rainsy claimed that Kep Chuktema was behind the buying out of SRP commune councilors during the election for city and district councilors in 2009. However, this case is still dormant.

Van Piny's confession on Hor Nam Hong being a member of the K-17 Boeung Trabek bureau committee

Click on Van Piny's confession/statement in Khmer to zoom in

(Translated from Khmer by Socheata)

Answers provided by Van Piny (aka Tith), cadre of the K-17 bureau, front department

A history of the activities led by Van Piny (aka Tith) by himself

Dated 16 February 1978

“I am reporting to Angkar [the KR organization] about my betrayal history.

My name in Van Piny (aka Tith), a cadre of the K-17 bureau, front department, my wife name is Kuon Vattana (aka Chan). I was born in the village of Snay Pul, Snay Pul commune, Pea Raing district, Prey Veng province. I am 37-year-old, my father name is Van Bun Than, he was a district governor, he died at the beginning of 1974. My mother name is Ros Bopha, she lived in Phnom Penh until the liberation. Her current whereabout is unknown. I have 9 siblings:

(names of siblings, their spouses, their professions, where they live)

When I was young, I studied at the Snay Pul elementary school, in Pea Raing district, then at the Kanh-chreach district elementary school, and finally at the Pey Veng province elementary school until I passed my elementary exit exam in 1955. In 1955-1956, I came to study at the Sisovath high school in Phnom Penh until I passed my high school exit exam in 1961.

In 1961, I started my law school study in Phnom Penh.

At the end of 1962, [I studied under] two French professors, Roblo and Court, and a Cambodian professor, Sarin Chhak, who at the time was the secretary of the ministry of Foreign Affairs and he was studying at the law school also. They educated me [and advised me] to join the French SDECE organization [French intelligence agency]. This education started to make me love France, from its culture, its literature and even the education and livelihood of the French; the working methods in France made me want to continue my education in France as well [after] the two French professors vouched for me. After I loved France for this field, the education [they provided me] led me to support the French policy and the influence of France in Cambodia, as well as the necessity for the relationships with France, …

(2 more pages of biography, then Van Piny went on to implicate a large number of people whom he provided their positions at the time, the following is what he said about Hor Nam Hong and a few others)

93- Chau Seng: the vice-chairman of the K-17 bureau committee until the beginning of November – current whereabout unknown.
94- Hor Nam Hong: A member of the K-17 Boeung Trabek bureau committee
95- Chea San: A member of the K-17 Boeung Trabek bureau committee
96- Ieng Kounsaky: A member of the K-17 Boeung Trabek bureau committee

….

17 February 1978
V. Piny
Van Piny (thumbprint)
----------
KI-Media note: Who’s who on Van Piny’s list

1. Van Piny: Along with Chau Seng, he was made chairman of the K-17 (Boeung Trabek) detention center until he was arrested and replaced by Hor Nam Hong.
2. Chau Seng: A former minister under Sihanouk regime, he was booted out by Sihanouk for his leftist leaning position. He joined the Khmer Rouge and returned back to Cambodia after the KR victory. He was made chairman of the K-17 (Boeung Trabek) detention center until he was arrested and killed at Tuol Sleng.
3. Chea San: A former high-ranking official in Sihanouk regime, he later joined Sihanouk and the KR as the GRUNK Minister of Justice. He was killed at Tuol Sleng.
4. Sarin Chhak: A former diplomat in Sihanouk regime, he later joined Sihanouk and the KR as the GRUNK Minister of Foreign Affairs. Under Sihanouk, he completed his PhD in France where he provided a detail history and account of Cambodia’s borders with Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. Hon Thong Hoeung later recounted that he and his wife were jailed in Boeung Trabek detention center. He disappeared after he was captured by the invading Vietnamese army.
5. Ieng Kounsaky: a former diplomat under Sihanouk regime, he joined the KR and was sent to the Boeung Trabek detention center. Along with his wife, Mrs. Keo Bunthouk, they gave a scathing testimony against Hor Nam Hong.

Cambodia asks to convene ASEAN summit to help defuse Thai's extremely tense situation

April 11, 2010

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) - Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Saturday night proposed to hold an urgent ASEAN summit to help defusing Thailand's extremely tense situation.

In his letter to Pham Gia Khiem, Vietnamese deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Hor Namhong said "in light of this very grave development which no one knows when it will end and whether it will lead to more bloodshed, I think that we, as fellow ASEAN member states cannot stand idle and leave ASEAN image at stake any further."

Hor said he refered to the current "extremely tense political situation in Thailand, which has already claimed many human casualties."

"Therefore, I would like to propose that Vietnam as Chair of ASEAN should issue a Declaration on the situation in Thailand, or convene an urgent special ASEAN Summit in order to help looking for any appropriate ways to defuse such an extremely explosive situation in our friendly Thailand," he said.

ASEAN comprises of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Khmer Intelligence News - 09 April 2010

KHMER INTELLIGENCE NEWS

09 April 2010

Cambodia recovers a strip of her territory in Svay Rieng province (2)

A recent border incident -- uprooting of “temporary border posts” by opposition parliamentarians and protesting villagers in Svay Rieng province in October 2009 -- and the subsequent investigation involving international independent experts into the controversial border demarcation process over the last few years, have resulted in Cambodia’s recovering a 10-kilometer-long, 500-meter-wide strip of her territory. However, for face-saving reasons, government border authorities are reluctant to recognize the new situation and are tentatively giving inconsistent explanations to the fact that “temporary border posts” # 184, 185, 186 and 187 have been moved back toward the East by 570 m, 516 m, 720 m and 510 m respectively. See related documents at http://tinyurl.com/yyoqa2n

China behind improvement in relations between Cambodia and Thailand (2)

Two reliable diplomatic sources have indicated that China recently put strong pressure on the Cambodian government to stop stirring up trouble in Thailand by openly interfering in the neighbouring country’s internal affairs. China wants to preserve peace and stability in South-East Asia and wants to prevent Vietnam from gaining more influence in the region. Vietnam is believed to be behind Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s aggressive behaviour aimed at weakening Thailand. This was already the case in the violent anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh in January 2003.

Hun Sen expects oil revenue from Chevron to help finance CPP election campaign in 2012 (2)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said earlier this week he would terminate his country's contract with Chevron if the US energy giant does not begin oil production from offshore fields by late 2012. This warning is just a way to tell Chevron to be ready to help finance the ruling CPP campaign for the 2013 general elections in Cambodia.

CPP behind merger of “royalist” parties (2)

The ruling CPP is currently pushing Funcinpec and the Nationalist Party (formally Norodom Ranariddh Party) to merge at the latest in 2012. The CPP needs a better-looking coalition partner under the form of a single and united “royalist” party. But in fact, the partner will keep having no power whatsoever, its only role being a pure endorsement of the former communist party in a more credible manner. The so-called royalist movement has been going down the drain not because of its internal divisions based on personal interests as reflected in party names, but because of its general and mercantile subservience to the CPP.

A Cambodian fake witness before the French Court (2)

At a court hearing in Paris on 25 March 2010, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong, who is engaged in a defamation lawsuit against opposition leader Sam Rainsy, surprisingly came with Prince Sisowath Chittara as a “witness”. Prince Sisowath Chittara told the French Judges that, during the Khmer Rouge era, he was incarcerated in a “death camp” in Cambodia. He “explained” to the Judges how such a camp functioned and how the Khmer Rouge chose a leader among the camp prisoners. The “witness” did all this with the aim of “proving the innocence” of Mr. Hor Nam Hong who, between 1977 and 1979, left his mark in the Boeng Trabek re-education camp. However, a 1986 book by Retired King Norodom Sihanouk titled “Prisoner of the Khmer Rouge,” proves that Prince Sisowath Chittara blatantly lied to the French Justice. See related evidence in French with translation in English at http://tinyurl.com/y9q6mnx

Hor Nam Hong might be the first top government official to appear before the ECCC (2)

Hoping to win the above-mentioned defamation lawsuit in France, Mr. Hor Nam Hong might finally accept to appear as a witness before the ECCC (the international tribunal in Cambodia) in order to show the French Judges in Paris his good will and consistency. He would then have to answer some questions such as:

- Why not help international justice – the only one that is independent and credible in Cambodia – to lift somewhat the cryptic assessment made by [most authoritative expert] Father François Ponchaud on you: “The role of Hor Nam Hong at Boeng Trabek is not clear”? (http://www.eurasie.net/webzine/spip.php?article824)

- Why not give the Tribunal convincing evidence to answer the question that [well-known French reporter] François Deron openly asked about your role at the Boeng Trabek prison camp when he talked about the need to “sort out between the Kapos and the real prisoners, between the cowards and the victims”? (The Khmer Rouge Trial – Thirty years of investigation into the Cambodian genocide, Gallimard, 2009).

- Why not discuss calmly with the judge the accusations made against you by your former co-prisoner Keo Bunthouk who said that, through your denunciations to the Khmer Rouge, you "sent children and adults [from the Boeng Trabek community] to the Tuol Sleng torture prison (...), and no one came back" ? (The Cambodia Daily, 13-14 January 2001, "Senate Continues Spirited Debate on KR Bill").

See list of possible questions to Mr. Hor Nam Hong in French and English at http://tinyurl.com/yk7wr2u

[End]