Tea Banh discusses rights record with US

Thursday, 24 September 2009
Sam Rith and James O'toole
The Phnom Penh Post

DEFENCE Minister Tea Banh told reporters in Washington that he “clarified” concerns about Cambodia’s human rights record and discussed increased bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and the United States in meetings this week with senior American officials.

On Monday, Tea Banh met with US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, according to a statement released by the US embassy in Phnom Penh on Wednesday.

Tea Banh told reporters from Voice of America radio and Radio Free Asia that he and Gates discussed increasing military cooperation between the two countries. The US embassy said that the two focused on “peacekeeping, maritime security and counterterrorism”.

Tea Banh said that in his meeting with Steinberg, the American “addressed concerns about human rights issues in Cambodia”.

“I clarified to [Steinberg] that while some concerns are valid, each country has its own law, and in reality, Cambodia is very progressive in its respect for human rights,” the Cambodian defence minister told RFA.

Both Tea Banh and the US embassy cited the selection of Cambodia to host 2010’s Global Peace Operations Initiative, an event organised by the US State Department to train international peacekeepers, as an example of successful cooperation between the two countries.

I told him that one country, or one district, needs to have its own laws (sic!): Tea Banh on the lack of uniformity in the Cambodian law?

US Defense Secretary Vows Enhanced Ties

By Taing Sarada and Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington and Phnom Penh
23 September 2009

“His concern is an issue that we are also taking care of and monitoring closely ... I told him that I accept some matters that he raised with me. I told him that one country, or one district, needs to have its own laws. As we watch closely, Cambodia has improved a lot, including in the respect of human rights” - Tea Banh inadvertently confessing that he had to address human rights issues with US govt officials?

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates stressed a commitment to enhancing Cambodian peacekeeping, maritime security and counter-terrorism, following talks in Washington with Cambodian Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh.

The two senior officials met on Monday in talks unprecedented since the 1970s, as military relations between the two countries have steadily improved.

“In the meeting we were talking about how what we have done so far has had very good success,” Tea Banh said in an interview in Washington after the meeting. “They will encourage us further to monitor closely what needs to be done in order to complete it.”

The US resumed military aid to Cambodia in 2006; it had revoked aid following the 1997 coup, when Prime Minister Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party seized power from its government partner, Funcinpec.

“Since 2006, Cambodia has received approximately $4.5 million worth of equipment and technical assistance through the Foreign Military Financing program,” the US Embassy in Phnom Penh said in a statement.

The program funds grants of excess military transport equipment and technical assistance to the Ministry of Defense; training materials and technical assistance to the RCAF English Language Training Program; and maritime security and professional development training to the navy, the embassy said.

Cooperation with the US increased when Cambodia became a willing partner to the US’s post-9/11 war on terror, culminating in the establishment of military attachés this year.

“The United States is interested in providing scholarships for military students to study in other countries,” Tea Banh said, but he added that US assistance remains smaller than that of China.

The general also met with Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, who he said expressed concern over human rights and democracy.

“His concern is an issue that we are also taking care of and monitoring closely,” Tea Banh said. “I told him that I accept some matters that he raised with me. I told him that one country, or one district, needs to have its own laws. As we watch closely, Cambodia has improved a lot, including in the respect of human rights.”

Cambodia’s rights record has come under pressure in recent months, following a string of lawsuits and at least one prison sentence against government dissenters, and earlier this month the US House of Representative’s Human Rights Commission called three public leaders from Cambodia to testify.

Tea Banh: Another master fib-teller in Hun Xen’s administration?

According to DAP news, Tea Banh told reporters that, regarding the criticisms raised by the opposition MP [Mu Sochua] and NGOs in the US regarding the violations of human rights and democratic principles, the US government does not pay attention to these issues, nor does it care about them. Yet, the US embassy in Phnom Penh issued in its press release regarding Tea Banh's visit to the US: "Our goals are to develop the capabilities of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in these areas, while encouraging Cambodia's commitment to the rule of law, transparency in governance, sustained democratic development, and respect for human rights." Now, you be the judge, who's telling fibs, who's not?

Vice-PM Tea Banh: US warm welcome, unlike the 1995 visit

23 September 2009
DAP news
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

At 10PM on 23 September, vice-PM Tea Banh, the minister of Defense, returned back to Cambodia following his official visit in the US.

Tea Banh told reporters at the Phnom Penh international airport that, during this visit to the US, he received a major welcoming from the US government, in particular from Robert Gate, the US Secretary of Defense, who greeted him in a manner that is so different from the one Tea Banh received during his first visit to the US in 1995.

Tea Banh also talked about the results of the bilateral talks with Robert Gate. He indicated that, up to now, the US provided aids to Cambodia through 121 plans, in particular, in the anti-terrorism cooperation, in human trafficking and in various other issues. The US government will continue to provide help and strengthen and develop its cooperation with Cambodia.

Tea Banh added that in 2010, Cambodia will prepare its first military exercise with the participation of 2,000 soldiers under the US support.

Tea Banh also indicated that the US government welcomes peaceful border resolution between Cambodia and Thailand.

Regarding the criticisms raised by the opposition MP [Mu Sochua] and NGOs in the US regarding the violations of human rights and democratic principles, Tea Banh confirmed that the US government does not pay attention to these issues, nor does it care about them.
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KI-Media note: Click here to read the press release by the US embassy on Tea Banh’s visit to the US, in its statement, the US clearly stated: “Our goals are to develop the capabilities of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in these areas, while encouraging Cambodia's commitment to the rule of law, transparency in governance, sustained democratic development, and respect for human rights.” Either Mr. Tea Banh fell asleep when this issue was raised during his trip to the US, or he is a master fib-teller [Fib: A fib or fibbing, a type of deception; an untruth (Wikipedia)]

Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh Meets with Secretary Gates and Deputy Secretary Steinberg

Released in Phnom Penh, September 23, 2009
Source: US Embassy in Phnom Penh

"Our goals are to develop the capabilities of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in these areas, while encouraging Cambodia's commitment to the rule of law, transparency in governance, sustained democratic development, and respect for human rights."

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Tea Banh is in Washington D.C. on a four-day visit designed to strengthen cooperation and to reinforce the U.S. commitment to substantive, reform-linked security cooperation. On September 21, H.E. Tea Banh met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg.

Secretary Gates stressed the commitment of the United States to enhance Cambodia’s capabilities in peacekeeping, maritime security and counterterrorism. The Secretary cited establishment of a Cambodian Defense Attaché office in Washington and the newly minted sister state program with Idaho’s National Guard as positive developments in the bilateral relationship. Secretary Gates also offered the Minister an opportunity to engage in a Defense Policy Dialogue in the near future.

In a separate meeting, Deputy Secretary Steinberg and H.E. Tea Banh discussed security cooperation between the United States and Cambodia, highlighting Cambodia’s ongoing support for international peacekeeping operations and Cambodia’s commitment to host the 2010 Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) regional capstone exercise. GPOI is a U.S.-funded G-8 program to expand global capacity to train and equip 75,000 peacekeepers by the year 2010. They also discussed human rights and issues related to Cambodia’s role as a member of ASEAN.

Since 2004, the United States has sought to strengthen and expand its bilateral defense relationship with Cambodia. Our cooperation focuses on international peacekeeping, counterterrorism, counternarcotics, border and maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations, and defense sector reform. Our goals are to develop the capabilities of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in these areas, while encouraging Cambodia's commitment to the rule of law, transparency in governance, sustained democratic development, and respect for human rights.

Since 2006, Cambodia has received approximately $4.5 million worth of equipment and technical assistance through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. The FMF program also funds grants of excess military transport equipment and technical assistance to the Ministry of National Defense and the High Command; training materials and technical assistance to the RCAF English Language Training Program; and Maritime Security and professional development training to the Royal Cambodian Navy. Participants in all U.S. funded training programs are thoroughly vetted in accordance with U.S. law.

The United States works to achieve its goals through humanitarian assistance as well. Since 2005, the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps have helped to build and refurbish schools and medical clinics throughout the country. U.S. Military medics and dentists have also worked with their Royal Cambodian Armed Forces counterparts to provide critical, free health care to some of the most isolated and impoverished communities in Cambodia.

Tea Banh pays US official visit

Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Jacob Gold and Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post

Meeting with the US defence secretary addresses greater military cooperation, though concerns linger about alleged rights violations by Cambodian soldiers.

CAMBODIAN Defence Minister Tea Banh met with US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates at the Pentagon in Washington during an official visit on Monday, Defence Ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat told the Post on Wednesday.

The agenda included improving military cooperation during humanitarian assistance scenarios and strengthening the capacity of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. The discussion also focused on regional security issues and cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

“We expect that the relationship between the RCAF and the US military will move close together after this high-level visit by the Cambodian defence delegation,” Chhum Socheat said.

The US has promised to sponsor Cambodia’s role in defence exercises scheduled for July 2010 and slated to involve more than 2,000 military personnel from countries across the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

Tea Banh is expected to arrive back in Cambodia today. The US embassy declined to comment further on the outcome of the meeting pending an official statement due to be released today.

US-Cambodian military relations have come under scrutiny from US congressmen following testimony by Human Rights Watch to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing in Washington earlier this month.

The NGO reported that since 2006 the US has provided training and material assistance totalling approximately US$4.5 million to Cambodian military units such as Prime Minister Hun Sen’s personal bodyguard unit, Brigade 70, Special Airborne Brigade 911 and Brigade 31 of the RCAF. Eight congressmen sent a letter last Friday to Gates inquiring about the connection between and US military aid and these units’ alleged human rights abuses, which the Cambodian military denied.

The meeting of the two nations’ defence chiefs comes ahead of a bilateral agreement, due to be signed by the US and Cambodia today, under which the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide Cambodia with US$7.79 million to help stimulate broader economic growth.

The additional funding will finance an expansion of USAID’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises 2 and Business Enabling Environment programme, aimed at alleviating rural poverty by making family-owned businesses more productive, the organisation said in a statement released to the media on Tuesday. USAID expects to commit a total of $61.8 million in assistance to Cambodia this year.

In US, Defense Minister Drops by a Pagoda

By Taing Sarada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
22 September 2009

Cambodian Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh said he was happy to see Cambodians in America adhering to old traditions, as he visited a pagoda in Maryland on Sunday for Pchum Ben.

Tea Banh is in Washington for talks with his counterpart, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in meetings unprecedented since the 1970s. He was scheduled to meet Gates on Monday, to strengthen to growing ties between the two militaries.

However, the visit has been darkened by concerns from US congressmen that US military aid could benefit the bodyguard unit of Prime Minister Hun Sen, which Human Rights Watch has accused of rights violations.

On Sunday, though, the general was celebrating Pchum Ben along with Cambodians at home.

“This is a first time for me to see such a big gathering of our Cambodian people in a very good pagoda like this,” the general said. “I am so proud to see our Cambodian people, who are living away from home, still organizing such a big ceremony. It is very impressive.”

Pchum Ben is an annual celebration of deceased ancestors in Cambodia, and the US pagoda visit was arranged by Cambodian Ambassador Hem Heng and other diplomats.

“I am so happy to be here with our Khmer people,” Tea Banh said. “I am so excited to be in time for the last day of Pchum Ben. The ceremony here is like in Cambodia.”

Duck Shot (aka Tea Banh) and Baby Hun (aka "General" Hun Manet) visit the US

Tea Banh (L) and Hun Manet (R), the general-son of Cambodia's Strongman Hun Sen. Local newspaper reported that the inexperienced young general will accompany Tea Banh to the US

US, Cambodia Defense Chiefs To Meet

By Taing Sarada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
18 September 2009

The Cambodian defense minister will meet with the US secretary of defense later this month, in the first such high-level meeting since the 1970s, officials said.

Gen. Tea Banh will meet with Robert Gates to strengthen relations between the two militaries, including an exercise for multi-national peacekeeping operations, Tea Banh told VOA Khmer by phone.

“The most important thing is we need to talk to each other, to understand each other on some points that we will complete together,” he said.

Tea Banh will lead a delegation from Sept. 18 to Sept. 23, according to the Cambodian Embassy.

That delegation will include the deputy commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, Veat Tha, and deputy director of peace operations, Tat Chantha, among other high-ranking military officers.

The visit comes amid warming relations between the two militaries, including the addition of a military attachés this year and cooperation on crimes such as human and drug trafficking.

The US has provided direct military aid since 2006. In September, the US provided more than $6 million in military equipment to the armed forces.