By Whitney Kvasager
The Cambodia Daily
Members of the European Parliament have distanced themselves from comments made about Cambodia by the head of a delegation from the parliament last month. Graham Watson, group leader of the Affiance of liberals and Democrats for Europe in the EP, criticized delegation leader Marc Tarabella's remarks about UN envoy Yash Ghai, who in March said there had been slim improvements to human rights in Cambodia. Tarabella told reporters on April 24 that Ghai's withering report had not assessed Cambodia as objectively as his own delegation. Tarabella's comments "do not represent the views of the European Parliament which has been very critical on the lack of democracy, obstruction of legitimate opposition parties and authoritarian rule in Cambodia," Watson said, according to a Saturday statement. Ignasi Guardans of the Alliance called statements undermining Ghai "at best imprudent and at worst irresponsible." In a letter received Friday, Tarabella expressed the EP's "full support and respect" for Ghai's work.
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