PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - A top Cambodian legislator threw his support Thursday behind the idea of sending humanitarian forces to help U.S. troops in Iraq.
Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly, said he agreed with Prime Minister Hun Sen that sending combat troops to Iraq was out of the question.
"After many decades of civil conflict, Cambodia is tired of war," Heng Samrin told reporters outside the lower house of Parliament. "We should avoid sending our forces to a country in the throes of a civil war."
"If we send forces to Iraq we ought to send humanitarian forces. We will not send troops into combat situations," Heng Samrin said.
The United States, through its embassy, recently renewed a request to Cambodia to send non-combat armed forces personnel to assist with humanitarian work in Iraq.
Hun Sen, who had rejected past requests, said last week he would respond after seeing how a team of 135 Cambodian forces in Sudan fares in their mission. The troops, part of a U.N. peacekeeping mission, left last week to help with demining in the war-torn African country.
Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly, said he agreed with Prime Minister Hun Sen that sending combat troops to Iraq was out of the question.
"After many decades of civil conflict, Cambodia is tired of war," Heng Samrin told reporters outside the lower house of Parliament. "We should avoid sending our forces to a country in the throes of a civil war."
"If we send forces to Iraq we ought to send humanitarian forces. We will not send troops into combat situations," Heng Samrin said.
The United States, through its embassy, recently renewed a request to Cambodia to send non-combat armed forces personnel to assist with humanitarian work in Iraq.
Hun Sen, who had rejected past requests, said last week he would respond after seeing how a team of 135 Cambodian forces in Sudan fares in their mission. The troops, part of a U.N. peacekeeping mission, left last week to help with demining in the war-torn African country.
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