Saturday, 21 March 2009

Japan to help Cambodia pay its share of costs of Khmer Rouge trial

PHNOM PENH, March 20 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The Japanese government said Friday it will contribute $200,000 in urgently needed assistance to help Cambodia cover a shortfall of funds for the U.N.-assisted trial of former Khmer Rouge leaders.

The Japanese Embassy here said the assistance was requested by Cambodia to finance its share of the budget for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, as the Khmer Rouge tribunal is formally known.

"Japan places a great emphasis on the progress of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, as it believes that this process will promote peace, democracy, the rule of law and good governance in Cambodia," the embassy said in a statement.

Reach Sambath, spokesman of the ECCC, said, "We very much appreciate the contribution made by Japanese government at the time that Cambodian side is running out of budget."

He said the Japanese contribution will partially fund operational costs for this month. The tribunal will then require another $4.1 million from donors to support its operations for the rest of the year, he said.

Japan has so far contributed more than $20 million for the realization of the Khmer Rouge trials.

The court is currently handling the case against former Khmer Rouge prison chief Kaing Guek Ieu, better known as Duch, the first of five Khmer Rouge figures detained by the tribunal to be tried. His full trial, expected to last for three months, starts on March 30.

The Khmer Rouge are blamed for the deaths of at least 1.7 million Cambodians in the late 1970s.

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