Cambodia's leader cuts ties with gay daughter

SUMMARY: Cambodia's prime minister severs ties with his adopted daughter, who is a lesbian, but appeals to people not to discriminate against gays.

Cambodia's prime minister said Tuesday he was severing ties with his adopted daughter, who is a lesbian, but appealed to people not to discriminate against gays.

"My adopted daughter now has a wife. I'm quite disappointed," Hun Sen said.

He made the rare revelation about his closely guarded family life during a public speech at a student graduation ceremony.

Hun Sen said he plans to file a civil court case to disown his adopted daughter so that she cannot claim any inheritance from his family.

"We are concerned that she might one day cause us trouble . . . and try to stake her claim for a share of our assets," he said.

The prime minister and his wife Bun Rany have three sons and two other daughters. He said they adopted their third daughter in the mid-'80s when she was 18 days old. She has carried his family name "Hun" just like his biological children. Hun Sen did not reveal her given name.

Although he is cutting ties with her, Hun Sen said he was not discriminating against gays and appealed to society to show respect for them.

Sam Vuthy, coordinator of Women's Agenda for Change, a nonprofit Cambodian group advocating gay rights, declined to comment on Hun Sen's decision regarding his daughter but applauded his appeal not to discriminate against gays. (AP)

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