US Official Warns Against Border Violence

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
17 September 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio aired 16 September 2008
Click here to listen to the Khmer audio aired 17 September 2008

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte warned Thailand and Cambodia against border violence in a continued military standoff, saying bilateral negotiations were the best way to resolve the crisis.

"We think that [bilateral negotiation] is the most effective way of dealing with this problem," Negroponte said, following a three-day visit to Cambodia this week. "And we think it's important that the use of force or coercion has to be avoided at all costs, because that would risk undermining some of the progress that has been achieved in the region in terms of peaceful economic development."

Prime Minister Hun Sen has said he will approach the UN Security Council and other multilateral avenues to solve a continued military standoff that began in July.

The visit of Negroponte, who is the second-highest ranking official in the US State Department, capped several years of warming relations between the two countries.

Negroponte said the inclusion of an FBI team in the investigation of slain opposition journalist Khim Sambor was another "positive" step.

"I think it's a welcome development, and we want to be as helpful as we can," he said.

Khim Sambor was shot dead with his son in Phnom Penh in July, just two weeks ahead of national elections. He is the 12th journalist to be murdered since 1993, and his killers have not been found.

Even if Cambodia does not work to strengthen democracy and increase respect for human rights, it can still count on US support!

Remarks by Deputy Secretary Negroponte to the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

John D. Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State
As Prepared For Delivery
Hong Kong
September 17, 2008
US Department of State

Thank you, Steve. I'm thrilled to be back in Hong Kong, where I began my Foreign Service career more than 47 years ago. This city is a symbol of Asia's dynamism and potential, and I want to congratulate Hong Kong for successfully hosting the 2008 Olympic equestrian events last month. I'd also like to recognize our new Consul General, Joe Donovan, a diplomat with the expertise and experience to continue strengthening the U.S.-Hong Kong relationship.

The United States has been a Pacific power for much of its history. Indeed, our relations with Asia began not far from here when, not even a decade after our country's birth, an American merchant ship first docked in the port of Guangzhou. And in 1833--175 years ago--we signed our first treaty of friendship with an Asian power, Thailand.

In the course of my own career, and certainly in the course of American history, our presence as a Pacific power has taken many shapes. But in 1961, when I arrived in Hong Kong, and throughout that decade, when I was working on Vietnam policy, I could not have imagined the extraordinary transformation Asia would undergo in the coming decades. As President Bush noted last month in Bangkok, "Asia has gone from an area mired in poverty and recovering from world war to a thriving and dynamic region." Asia has avoided military conflict for nearly three decades, and relations among its major powers have never been better. Nearly all of Asia's economies are market-based, and robust democratic systems are flourishing throughout the region. The 21 APEC economies now account for 60 percent of global GDP and half of global trade. All of this makes Asia a key component of a rapidly globalizing world. And so, America's status as a Pacific power has never been more important than it is today.

Those of us fortunate enough to witness Asia's transformation know that it was neither inevitable nor accidental. Asians, who recognize the value of education and hard work, deserve primary credit for their region's accomplishment. But Asia prospered thanks also to a broader international economic and security order sustained by American leadership. For 60 years, the U.S. presence in Asia has had a calming effect on relations among the region's major powers. Our military alliances with like-minded Asian partners have allowed many of the region's powers to trade in their swords for ploughs and harvest the gains of global trade. Our alliances with Japan, Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand remain the foundation of peace and security in Asia.

Over the last few years, the United States has reinvigorated those alliances while also reaching out to new friends in Southeast Asia. We have a growing partnership with Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, which has made a remarkable transition to democracy in recent years. To help cement Indonesia's success, the U.S. has pledged over $200 million in 2008 to support civic, governance, and educational institutions there.

Our relationship with Vietnam has also entered a new chapter, symbolized by President Bush's visit to Vietnam in 2006 and the visit by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Washington in June. Last week I traveled to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and saw firsthand the country's transformation from when I worked in Saigon in the 1960s. The United States and Vietnam now enjoy significant and growing trade and economic ties; an emerging military-to-military relationship; successful cooperation on health and development issues; and growing cultural and educational links. Vietnam's effort to integrate itself into the global economy has been an essential element in its remarkable growth over the last 15 years. We encourage Vietnam's leaders to continue those efforts, which have lifted millions of its citizens from poverty and opened up opportunities for Vietnamese and American businesses. Vietnam has followed a path to growth familiar to many of its successful neighbors: encouraging private enterprise, establishing legal institutions, and opening itself to global trade through membership in institutions like APEC and the WTO. We celebrate its people's rising prosperity. At the same time, we continue to urge Vietnam to strengthen its respect for human rights and religious freedom.

I also had the opportunity this week to visit Cambodia, a country with which our relations have been steadily improving in recent years. Cambodia is eager to overcome the tragic legacy of the Khmer Rouge, and as it works to strengthen democracy, improve public health, and increase respect for human rights, Cambodia can count on our support.

As in Vietnam, global trade and investment have transformed Hong Kong from the city I encountered when I first made the always exciting descent into Kai Tak airport in 1961. Hong Kong holds special importance for me as my first overseas posting, and I'd like to spend a minute on the past, present, and future of this remarkable city. Looking back on my time as Vice Consul, I can remember walking through the narrow streets of this densely packed city and being greeted, at every turn, by the enticing scents of delicious Chinese cuisine. U.S. Navy ships would harbor here regularly, granting a day of needed rest and relaxation to U.S. sailors and Marines serving in the Pacific. At that time, Hong Kong served as our window into China, and stories were coming out of the Mainland about the terrible famine years during the Great Leap Forward.

The images of Hong Kong I carry in my memory are only faintly recognizable in Hong Kong today, but one thing that hasn't changed is Hong Kong's embrace of the free market and of an open society, which have transformed it economically and socially. Together with a strong rule of law, an independent judiciary, a free and vibrant press, and respect for individual rights, the free market has allowed Hong Kong to thrive. Hong Kong's per capita income rocketed from 28 percent of Great Britain's in 1960 to 137 percent in 1996. Today, in terms of purchasing power, per capita income is roughly equal in Hong Kong and the United States. The "one country, two systems" framework has served Hong Kong well, allowing residents here the freedom to express their views publicly, peacefully, and without interference.

The United States has a strong interest in Hong Kong's continued success. U.S. companies have invested over $38 billion in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong is home to over 1,000 U.S. companies and 55,000 American citizens. We value this major economic relationship in its own right and as an important part of our economic integration with a booming Asia.

Freedom, competition, and individual choice are part of what makes Hong Kong so vibrant, and with that in mind, I'd like to congratulate Hong Kong on its recent successful Legislative Council elections. Although later than allowed for under the Basic Law, Hong Kong now has the opportunity to grant universal suffrage for election of the Chief Executive in 2017 and the LegCo in 2020. We hope that all parties will work together to find an effective path to universal suffrage that can be supported by the broad majority of people in Hong Kong. The United States will be closely following events here in the coming decade.

Over the past seven years, the Administration has focused great attention on building a strong relationship with a growing China--a goal that would benefit the people of Hong Kong, as well as mainland Chinese and Americans. China's rise stands out as an especially remarkable development, even against the background of Asia's extraordinary success. We want to see China integrated into East Asia and the global community as a responsible, constructive actor. This Administration has made good progress toward that goal, but the task will be the work of a generation.

• We have established path-breaking bilateral mechanisms to expand cooperation and address concerns about the range of security, political, and economic issues facing our countries. The Strategic Economic Dialogue, led by Treasury Secretary Paulson, and my own Senior Dialogue with State Counselor Dai Bingguo are examples.
• China agreed to abide by the norms of the global trading system by acceding to the World Trade Organization. We have benefitted from its accession: since 2001, China has been our fastest growing major export market. At the same time, when Chinese policies have violated WTO rules, we have held China accountable by filing WTO cases. As China deals with international trade regulations and other challenges of economic modernization, it can look to Hong Kong as a model of what's possible with free markets, foreign investment, and the rule of law.
• Lastly, we have encouraged China to provide responsible global leadership on critical issues such as ending North Korea's nuclear program and stopping the bloodshed in Darfur. Our expectations are not always met, but by working together, we have challenged China to assume its responsibilities to strengthen the international system, with some success.

These steps have laid the foundation for China, as an aspiring global power, to move beyond a narrow conception of its national interests to a broader understanding that reflects its growing stake in the international system. The trend is in the right direction. Asia's rise, and especially China's, has also caused many to worry that U.S. influence in Asia would decline. These fears, I believe, are overblown. They ignore America's commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and underestimate our ability to pursue relations with every major Asian power, including China, in positive-sum terms.

It's also important to highlight how much Asia's powers have strengthened their relations with one another--and the role we've played in that process. As Asia's powers have increasingly interacted with one another through trade, travel, and other exchanges, new patterns of cooperation have emerged. Our effort to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula through the Six-Party Talks is a compelling example of cooperation among countries with historically tense, even hostile, relations. Although the process of denuclearization is far from complete, the Six-Party Talks demonstrate the potential for regional cooperation to complement our existing bilateral alliances.

The question facing all Pacific powers, including us, is how best to preserve and build on the gains from recent decades. As I said earlier, we firmly believe that our bilateral security alliances are and will remain the foundation of peace and stability in Asia. Those alliances are time-tested and reinforced by common interests and values. They have demonstrated their continued vitality by growing even stronger since the end of the Cold War. No one should doubt our unshakable commitment to our allies' security.

New regional organizations have the potential to complement our alliances and to help tackle region-wide issues, and the United States will remain open to their formation. We hope that, whatever regional architecture takes shape, it institutionalizes the conditions that have helped Asia attain its upward trajectory. Asia boomed within a framework of openness, U.S. engagement, and mutual security. Most Asian powers recognize this and support a form of open Asia-Pacific regionalism. The United States is a resident power in Asia, and we are a stakeholder in a regional order based on openness and cooperation.

I want to conclude by stressing that America's commitment to strong relations with the rising powers of Asia is bipartisan, and that our interests in the region are enduring. The United States is a Pacific nation, and our prosperity and security are increasingly tied to Asia's. Working closely with old allies and with new friends, we will continue to lead in a region that is growing in peace, prosperity, and freedom.

Released on September 17, 2008

Remarks by Deputy Secretary Negroponte in Cambodia

John D. Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
September 16, 2008

It is a pleasure to be in Cambodia and to see the progress that has been made over the past several years. I have had a number of productive meetings, including with Prime Minister Hun Sen and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong. We discussed the many positive ways that the United States and Cambodia cooperate, and we explored ways to deepen our bilateral relationship. My trip here is also an opportunity to emphasize our commitment to strong regional engagement in Asia.

The United States and Cambodia have a good and growing relationship. We are working together to improve the lives of Cambodians. The first Peace Corps volunteers recently marked their one-year anniversary. We are spending roughly $32 million per year in Cambodia to improve health and are cooperating closely to address HIV/AIDS and avian influenza. We are also working together in the areas of refugee matters, cultural preservation, and humanitarian demining. Our military-to-military relationship is growing stronger, and we value interaction with Cambodia in the areas of counter-terrorism, law enforcement, and POW/MIA matters.

We welcome Cambodia’s increasing involvement in solving regional and global problems. Once the beneficiary of a United Nations peacekeeping operation, Cambodia today has peacekeepers deployed in Sudan. Cambodians have also provided demining assistance to Afghanistan and Iraq.

We have also been impressed with the strides that Cambodia has made in its efforts to combat trafficking in persons in recent years, and the progress of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. The State Department intends to work with Congress to make available an initial contribution of $1.8 million this year to support the tribunal. We expect to be active among donors to the tribunal to ensure that it continues to improve its management and addresses the issue of corruption. This decision to seek funding for the court reflects our commitment to see this process through to its conclusion and to help Cambodians build a society based on the rule of law.

In all of my meetings, I also stressed the importance that the United States places on respect for human rights, open access to the media, and a free and fair electoral process.

Relations between the United States and Cambodia are at a high point, but there is more work to do. We look forward to continuing our efforts with the Royal Government of Cambodia to strengthen the rule of law and further economic development.

Let me now take a few questions.

Released on September 16, 2008

Press Conference by Deputy Secretary Negroponte in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

John D. Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
September 16, 2008

QUESTION: When you talk about the 1.8 million in funding to the KRT, will it be contributed directly to the UN side or the Cambodian side – this is the first question. Secondly during you talk with the Prime Minister Hun Sen, did he ask for UN intervention on the issue of the border problem with Thailand.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: On the first question subject to correction by the Chargé d’affaires I believe that the contribution will be made to the UN side – the 1.8 million and I would stress again that this is an initial contribution and I think the important point about the contribution is that it represents a threshold contribution by the United States to provide material support to the tribunal.

Your second question I believe related to the dispute with Thailand over the temple, and what I would like to say here is that we think that this is a dispute a difference that should be resolved peacefully between Thailand and Cambodia and that it should be preferably resolved bilaterally between the two countries. We think that is the most effective way of dealing with this problem, and we think that it is important that the use of force or coercion be avoided at all costs because that would risk undermining some of the great progress that has been achieved in this region in terms of peaceful economic development.

QUESTION: Good morning Deputy Secretary – my name is Douglas from the Cambodia Daily and I’ll try and be brief. I have two questions regarding the Khmer Rouge tribunal. One was that as you well know there has been a congressional ban on funding the tribunal pending a finding by the State Department that the Cambodian judiciary is free and fair and that the court meets international standards. If you could tell us about that review – whether or not it has been completed.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Let me first say that my understanding is that that ban no long exists – it expired about two years ago. That would be the fist point – the second is that I think I’ll ask the Embassy to put out a fact sheet about the tribunal so that some of the details that I may not have complete mastery of can be made clear but I think what my point that I would make is that we believe that the conditions are both appropriate and opportune to make this contribution and we have been talking to our congress and those who are interested in the tribunal and I think there is generally a consensus that this is a good time to move forward in support of the tribunal.

QUESTION: Just quickly my second question concerned the fact that the funding for the court would soon expire this would appear to be one moment where donors have the greatest leverage to request changes in the court. Could you tell us how the US feels about the possible investigation of corruption claims in the court and any changes that need to be made?

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well as I mentioned in my prepared statement we think it is important that the court be managed properly and we will certainly spare no effort on our part to ensure that not only our resources but the resources of the international community as a whole are put to good use and this is certainly one of the themes that we will be emphasizing with those concerned. There have been some issues about the management of the court but they have not risen to the level where we felt that it justified withholding any contribution to the court. We think it is a good time to go ahead, we’ll have as a result of that a voice along with the other donors and certainly when we see issues and problems we’re going to be sure that they are called to the attention of the right people.

QUESTION: Ker Munthit from AP – can you elaborate a little bit whether there will be conditions or a mechanism that the US will attach to the contribution to make sure that the money…

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: I think I said - at the risk of being repetitive I really believe that I’ve said all that I can say. If you want further background from the Charge d’affaires or the Embassy I would refer you to them after the press conference.

Question: Good morning to you sir – I am Madra from Reuters – sir you said Washington is going to fund 1.8 million for this year – will the US look to further contribute to the tribunal in the future?

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Yes – I think that is our hope, it definitely is in our planning and we have included a proposal in the budget for future years that calls for continued contributions to be made to the court. That of course will require, any budget in any system requires the approval of the legislature but that is certainly the position of the executive branch so we’ll make this initial contribution but in future fiscal years we hope to be able to continue to make a contribution and hopefully even increase the size.

QUESTION: Hello sir – another quick question. Why the US want to give funds to the KRT now, why not before.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well I mean I think one of the reasons that was mentioned is there had been reservations in the past on the part of our Congress but I think the point to make here is first of all we have decided to go forward, and secondly I think that like many other people we think it is important that this tribunal be able to carry out its work and succeed. There have been a number of people arrested now who are awaiting trial. There is a trial that is about to take place perhaps as early as November. I had the opportunity to meet a Canadian prosecutor. So this seems to be a distinctly opportune moment to make an announcement about our contribution but I think the main thing is that we want to help this tribunal succeed, and we think it definitely has the chance to succeed.

QUESTION: Just today you met the opposition leader and what did you talk about with them and what about the compromise between the opposition leaders and Hun Sen’s government

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well I think it would probably not be very prudent of me to comment in any detail about questions that have to do with the relationship between the government and the opposition I did have a opportunity to meet with a couple of opposition leaders, those who had members elected to the national assembly and in the election that took place in July I also had a chance to meet with members of civic society both here and when I was up in Siem Riep. I think the point that I would make is that in July Cambodia had it’s fourth national election since 1993. You’ve had elections for a national assembly in 93, 98, 2003 and now in 2008 and this for a county that emerged from such difficult circumstances this is a very positive track record a very positive development and each of these elections have been progressively less violent and have been carried out under better and better conditions so we welcome that and we think that that bodes well it augers well for the future of Cambodian democracy.

QUESTION: Did you advise them to go to the swearing in ceremony in the palace?

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Look – I didn’t offer any particular advice frankly. I listened more than I gave advice. I haven’t been to Cambodia in many many years and for me this was an opportunity to listen and learn about what is happening here and certainly it is not for me to give advice, specific tactical advice to the political actors here. We certainly favor democracy, we favor human rights, we support elections and we want them to be fair and free but I think that our concerns and the kind of advice we give is at a more general level than what is being suggested by your question.

QUESTION: Good morning, my name is (inaudible) – I would like to ask you could you please tell us about FBI progress in the investigation of the journalist’s killing in July, Mr. Kim Sambo from Monesekar Khmer?

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Right – I’m aware of the fact that the FBI is cooperating with the Cambodian authorities in investigating this killing, and I think that is a positive thing I think it is a welcome development and we want to be as helpful as we can but I happen not to know what progress is being made and normally as you can appreciate even if I was aware of some of the details we would probably not reveal them at this stage because investigative matters are usually kept confidential until they are ready until the investigators or the investigative authority is prepared to make its findings public, so even if I did know any of the details it would not be appropriate for me to reveal them publicly. I think perhaps I’ll take one more question.

QUESTION: I’m from the Phnom Penh Post – for military relations between the US and Cambodian government – what further developments can we expect, and can we expect the US to provide lethal material to Cambodia.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: I think that the focus of our effort is in such areas as peacekeeping, support for peacekeeping efforts and we welcome Cambodia’s role in that, especially as I said in my statement they have been the beneficiaries of peacekeepers in the past, and they have peacekeepers in the Sudan. Demining efforts, perhaps some officer training in exchanges, so it’s that kind of focus that we have at this particular time. Another would be ship visits, visits by some of our naval vessels, we’ve had several in the past year and we can imagine, we can visualize those continuing and perhaps increasing but those would be the kind of areas in which we contemplate a military cooperation between the two countries. I want to thank you for this opportunity – ok – one last question.

QUESTION: Just would like to know will the White House invite Prime Minister Hun Sen. Is there any plan for that to happen?

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well I’m not aware of any such plan and at the moment as you know we’re in the final stages of our own electoral campaign between now and the 4th of November and we will have a new administration in January so I would think that any possible meetings at that level and in Washington would probably have to wait till the next administration although I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that our leaders might meet one way or another during the course of some of the international meetings that are taking place between now and the end of this year.

Thanks you very much.

Released on September 16, 2008

US Offers $1.8 Million in Tribunal Funding

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte tours Tuol Sleng prison Tuesday with Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia.

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
16 September 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio program

The US is ready to commit $1.8 million to the UN side of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, a top US official said Tuesday, but he warned that the courts will have to continue to tackle corruption issues that have plagued them from the beginning.

The money would be US's first direct contribution to the tribunal, and the announcement came after a day of talks between the Cambodian government and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, who holds the second-highest position in the State Department.

"We expect to be active among donors to the tribunal to ensure that it continues to improve its management and address the issue of corruption," Negroponte said, adding that the US would have a voice in the proceedings and would "spare no effort" to ensure money was spent properly.

The US played an active role in the negotiating the hybrid tribunal with Cambodia and the United Nations, but officials had said until Tuesday they would not fund a substandard tribunal.

The tribunal has detained five former leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime, and is set for the first trial of any leader in 30 years, Tuol Sleng prison chief Duch.

But the tribunal has been hounded by allegations of mismanagement and corruption, and the Cambodian side has seen at least $300,000 in donor funding frozen, following fresh allegations of kickbacks in June.

Negroponte acknowledged there had been mismanagement in the courts, "but not to the level that justified withholding any contribution."

"I think there's generally a consensus that this is a good time to move forward," he said.

Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath welcomed the US contribution, saying that a US donation to the UN side will be the second from international donors, following a $750,000 contribution from the French earlier this year.

The tribunal needs $50 million added to its entire budget by the end of 2009 to continue its operations. Of that, the Cambodian side will need $10 million.

US urges bilateral solution to Cambodia-Thai border dispute

Sep 16, 2008
DPA

Phnom Penh - The United States advocated a bilateral solution to the ongoing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said Tuesday.

Wrapping up a three-day official visit during which he met Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and Prime Minister Hun Sen, Negroponte said the US hoped to see a peaceful end to the dispute between the two neighbours.

'We think this is a dispute the differences of which should be resolved peacefully ... and preferably bilaterally,' he said. 'It is important the use of force and coercion be avoided at all costs.'

Thai troops moved into territory around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple on the Thai-Cambodian border in July, just one week after UNESCO awarded the temple World Heritage listing over Thai objections. Thailand says the territory is disputed land while Cambodia claims it as sovereign territory.

The Ta Moan temple complex, 150 kilometres to the west, was also occupied by Thai soldiers, Cambodia said, as was Ta Krabey, a third temple, earlier this month.

Thailand called those claims baseless and noted it has always had troops stationed near the two sites.

But Prime Minister Hun Sen let his anger over the spread of the dispute to Ta Krabey be known in statements to local media through his cabinet.

He ordered authorities to get their documents in order and be ready to go to the UN Security Council or other international bodies for third-party mediation, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Monday.

Cambodia: US Pledges US$1.8 Million For Cambodian Tribunal

2008-09-16
By KER MUNTHIT AP

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA: The United States will give US$1.8 million to Cambodia's genocide tribunal to aid its work in trying former Khmer Rouge leaders for their alleged crimes against humanity, a top U.S. official said Tuesday (16 Sept).

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said the U.S. government believes "the conditions are both appropriate and opportune to make this contribution."

The U.N.-assisted tribunal has detained five former Khmer Rouge leaders on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The trial of the first suspect is planned for later this year.

"We want to help this tribunal succeed, and we think it definitely has a chance to succeed," Negroponte said at a press conference at the end of a three-day visit to Cambodia.

The money will be given to the tribunal's U.N. side, which is staffed by international personnel. The tribunal, which is seeking justice for atrocities committed in the 1970s under the Khmer Rouge's rule, is jointly run by Cambodian and U.N. officials under a pact both sides signed in 2003.

The radical policies of the ultra-communist Cambodian group, which ruled from 1975 to 1979, caused the death of some 1.9 million people from starvation, diseases, overwork and execution.

Negroponte also toured the S-21 prison, the largest Khmer Rouge torture center in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, to see what he called "a reminder of the holocaust."

It is now known as Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and holds exhibits of prisoner's mug shots, skulls, and other traces of the crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge's brutal rule.

"It's a very moving experience to see this museum, to see the reminiscence of the holocaust," Negroponte told The Associated Press after touring the museum early Tuesday morning.

He said the site is "a reminder of the holocaust that took place, and I think it's important to document it."

Up to 16,000 men, women and children were held at the prison before being taken out for execution before the Khmer Rouge's regime was ousted from power by a Vietnam-led invasion in 1979.

From a vocal critics to a praiser of good relations with the Hun Sen regime: Washington's domino-theory revival?

US to help fund Cambodia's Khmer Rouge trial

September 16, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

The United States is to make its first donation to Cambodia's UN-backed Khmer Rouge genocide tribunal.

Prime Minister Hun Sen says the US deputy secretary of state John Negroponte informed him of the donation when they met on Monday.

The pair have been discussing ways of improving relations between their countries.

Hun Sen says the donation will be officially declared today.

The cash-strapped Khmer Rouge court is expected to begin trials in October.

Five top Khmer Rouge leaders are facing charges before the tribunal for crimes committed by the regime.

The US embassy says the United States will also provide $US24 million to fund economic growth projects in Cambodia.

The US recently lifted a decade-old ban on direct funding to Cambodia's government and re-established military ties between the countries, with the promise oflimited military aid.

Since then, at least three senior US military commanders have visited Cambodia.

Mr Negroponte's visit, which comes amid rising concern over China's influence in the region, reverses Washington's restrictive funding policies put in place after Hun Sen seized total control of the government in a 1997 coup.

Hun Sen says that bilateral relations had improved markedly.

"I can say that we never have enjoyed such good relations as we have now and at the same time we have looked into other things that we are able to improve," he said.

Washington has been one of the Cambodian government's most vocal critics in a number of areas, including corruption and human rights abuses.

But the US has praised Cambodia for its anti-terrorism efforts following the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington.

US Could Announce Tribunal Funds: Hun Sen

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen(R) shakes hands with US Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte in Phnom Penh as the US is aiming to improve relations with Cambodia. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
15 September 2008

Click here to listen to Khmer audio by Heng Reaksmey
Click here to listen to Khmer audio by Vong Dara

The US could declare additional funding for the cash-strapped Khmer Rouge tribunal as early as Tuesday, Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday, following talks with US State Department Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.

"Tomorrow, you will know," Hun Sen told reporters Monday night. "Maybe [Negoroponte] will declare the amount of the donation to the Khmer Rouge tribunal."

Hun Sen declined to say what amount the US would pledge, and a US Embassy spokesman would not confirm an aid pledge.

A potential announcement of US funding comes amid mounting financial pressure on the hybrid Cambodian-UN tribunal, where the Cambodian side has had much of its funding frozen by donors in the wake of corruption allegations.

US officials have said they will not fund a tribunal that does not meet international standards, and the tribunal has taken some measures to investigate allegations of corruption.

No allegations have been proven, but a 2007 UNDP audit found mismanagement and questionable hiring practices on the Cambodian side.

Tribunal officials say they will need around $50 million, with $40 million coming from donors and $10 million from Cambodia, before the end of 2009.

Negroponte, who is one of the highest-ranking State Department to visit post-war Cambodia, signed a $24 million agricultural deal with Hun Sen Monday night, following a brief trip to the temples of Angkor Wat Sunday and talks with opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha Monday.

His visit was the mark of a strengthening relationship between the two countries that has meant the resumption of direct US aid.

The talks were "a positive process from the US government," Hun Sen said. "Now we can say it is time for the pregnant elephant to give birth."

Negroponte is expected to address the media before he leaves Tuesday morning.

Toasting good time in Phnom Penh ... with an autocratic ruler who was a former Khmer Rouge soldier

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) toasts with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte after attending a meeting to sign agreements with the U.S. at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh September 15, 2008. The U.S. Government and the Royal Government of Cambodia signed a four-year bilateral agreement that will see the U.S. provide $26 million in funding to support Cambodian priorities in economic growth, according to a U.S embassy press release. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (L) shakes hand with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte before a meeting to sign agreements with the U.S. at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh September 15, 2008. The U.S. Government and the Royal Government of Cambodia signed a four-year bilateral agreement that will see the U.S. provide $26 million in funding to support Cambodian priorities in economic growth, according to a U.S embassy press release. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, second left, talks to the journalists after witnessing a signing ceremony with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte in Cambodia, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Sept. 15, 2008. The United States has decided to help fund the Cambodian genocide tribunal's work in putting former Khmer Rouge leaders on trial, a government official said Monday. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

US to help fund Cambodian genocide tribunal

2008-09-15

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - The United States announced Monday it has decided to help fund the Cambodian genocide tribunal's work in putting former Khmer Rouge leaders on trial.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong about his government's decision to fund the tribunal during their meeting Monday, a Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Koy Kuong, told reporters.

Washington has so far provided no direct funding. It was not clear how much money the U.S. government will give, but Koy Kuong said Negroponte will announce the figure at a press conference Tuesday, the last day of his three-day visit to Cambodia.

U.S. embassy officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

The U.S. diplomat also held talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen, who described the discussions as positive.

Washington has spent more than US$7 million over the past decade to support the work of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, an independent group that collects evidence of Khmer Rouge crimes.

The group has given many documents to the U.N.-assisted tribunal to assist it in investigating cases against the Khmer Rouge suspects.

The tribunal has detained five former Khmer Rouge leaders on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The trial of the first suspect is planned for later this year.

The communist Khmer Rouge, who held power in 1975-79, are blamed for the death of an estimated 1.7 million people from hunger, disease, overwork and execution.

The tribunal, jointly run by Cambodian and United Nations personnel, has been appealing for more money to carry out its tasks.

Negroponte's visit is the latest sign of improved relations between Cambodia and the United States.

On Monday, he joined Hun Sen and other Cambodian officials in overseeing the signing of an agreement for US$24 million in U.S. assistance for economic development projects in Cambodia.

The U.S. lifted a ban on direct aid to the Cambodian government last year. Washington imposed the ban in 1997 after Prime Minister Hun Sen ousted Prince Norodom Ranariddh, then his co-premier, in a coup.

Before the ban was lifted, U.S. aid to impoverished Cambodia was mostly channeled to projects implemented by private groups.

Early X'mas for Hun Sen: Negroponte brings in a $24 million gift to the Hun Sen gov't

Cambodian economy gets an additional US$ 24 million bonanza

13-09-2008
Cambodge Soir Hebdo in English
Click here to read the article in French

The American government announced a donation to help Cambodian economic development. The Agreement will be signed during John Negroponte’s visit.

Erin Soto, USAID mission director and Sok An, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Council of Ministers of Cambodia, will sign an agreement for US$ 26 million on behalf of their respective countries on Monday September 15. The ceremony will be presided over by John Negroponte, the US Deputy Secretary of State and Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of Cambodia. This amount aims at strengthening and developing the Cambodian economy. The US, through their Agency for International Development (USAID) will inject US$ 24 million, whereas the Cambodian government will commit US$ 2 million.

A four-year long agreement, it will facilitate growth. The USAID project for micro-companies and small and medium companies will be strengthened and enlarged to the private sector. The public domain will be included in the programme to guarantee a conducive background for companies and businesses.

USAID, in 2008, plans a US$ 57.5 million budget distributed through different programmes.

US diplomat tours Cambodia's famed Angkor temples

Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte toured centuries-old Angkor temples in northwestern Cambodia on Sunday as he began a three-day visit to the Southeast Asian nation, an embassy official said.

Negroponte was scheduled to arrive in the capital, Phnom Penh, on Monday to hold talks with Cambodian officials, including Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, U.S. Embassy spokesman John Johnson said.

The deputy secretary of state was also expected to attend the signing of an agreement under which the United States will provide US$24 million for economic development projects in Cambodia, the embassy said in a statement.

Negroponte's visit is the latest sign of improved relations between the two countries.

Last year, the United States lifted a decade-old ban on direct aid to the Cambodian government. Washington cut off direct funding to Cambodian government projects in 1997 after Prime Minister Hun Sen ousted Prince Norodom Ranariddh, then his co-premier, in a coup.

Before the ban was lifted, U.S. aid to impoverished Cambodia was mostly channeled to projects implemented by private groups.

The U.S. has also recently resumed non-lethal military aid to Cambodia. Last week, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln hosted a rare tour for a group of Cambodian military and government officials as it passed through the region on its way home from Iraq.

Cambodia, U.S. to sign trade, agriculture, industry deal

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and the United States will sign a trade, agriculture and industry deal on Sept. 15 when the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte visits here on Sept. 14-16, a senior official said Wednesday.

Negroponte's visit will make the two countries move a step forward for bilateral ties, said Sok An, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Council of Ministers.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Negroponte will preside over the signing ceremony of a grant aid project for 24 million U.S. dollars in health sector, he said, adding that the fund of the health project will be operated by NGOs but monitored by the Cambodian government.

During his trip, Negroponte will meet with government officials, opposition leaders and representatives of Cambodia's civil society, a press release from the U.S. embassy said earlier this week.

As the centerpiece of the visit, the deputy secretary of state plans to meet with Hun Sen, it said.

Cambodia's apparel exports to the U.S. totaled 1.16 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of the year, up from 1.13 billion U.S. dollars in the same period of 2007, according to official statistics.

Senior US State Official To Meet With Leaders

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
29 August 2008

When John Negroponte, a senior US State Department official, arrives in Cambodia for an official visit next month, he will encounter human rights groups unhappy with a host of problems and tension between the ruling party and opposition still battling over July's election.

Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State, is one of the highest-ranking US officials to travel to Cambodia in recent years.

Over three days starting Sept. 14, he will meet with government officials, opposition leaders and representatives of civil society, the embassy said.

"I really think that the fact that the Secretary is coming is a sign that our relationship is strengthening," US Embassy spokesman John Johnson said. The visit "will serve to deepen the ties between our two countries."

Kek Galabru, president of the rights group Licadho, said Thursday civic organizations hoped to raise a number of issues with Negroponte, including irregularities in July's election.

"The NGOs would raise the issues of land disputes, freedom of information, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, for example, the killing of journalist Khim Sambor, domestic violence, rape and human trafficking," she said.

Negroponte's visit will come ahead of a scheduled swearing-in ceremony for newly elected National Assembly members that the Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties have threatened to boycott, potentially deadlocking the formation of the government.

Both parties maintain the elections were fraudulent, with a high number of irregularities occurring ahead of the polls and on Election Day.