U.S. NGO trains female politicians from main parties in Cambodia

The U.S.-based National Democratic Institute (NDI) here on Wednesday started to train 30 women from Cambodia's main political parties to help them participate in the July 2008 national election.

Stephanie Lynn, NDI's resident program director for Indonesia, oversees the training of 10 female members each from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), the co-ruling Funcinpec Party and the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), said a press release from the non-governmental organization.

The three-day training course aims to help the female candidates of the contending political parties improve their candidacy and campaigning skills, it said.

After receiving the training course, the trainees will then train their own party's female members.

In the 2007 commune council election, 21 percent of all candidates and nearly 15 percent of the elected councilors were women, an increase of 9 percent from the 2003 national election.

Funcinpec has recently appointed Princess Norodom Arunrasmy as its premiership candidate for the upcoming election, unprecedentedin Cambodia's political history.

Source: Xinhua Read more!

Cambodia beefs up maritime security against terrorists, cross-border criminals

Cambodia has strengthened its maritime security to fight against terrorism, transnational crimes and improve its sea environment protection, said Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday.

"I used to be very concerned that my country can become a safe shelter for terrorists in maritime areas because we lacked the materials and techniques to safeguard the territory. Now, we have cooperation with our friends and partners to combat all those terrorists and cross-border criminals and improve our sea environment protection," he told the Cambodia Maritime Security Seminar held in Phnom Penh city with the attendance of some 100 participants from Australia and Cambodia.

Cambodia is no more a safe place for terrorists, he added.

Meanwhile, he said, the increase of military ships and the augmentation of Cambodia's maritime security are not a threat for the neighboring countries.

The maritime security is improved to fight against drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism acts, cross-border crimes, pirates, oil leaking and ship accidents and to protect sea transportation, he said.

"Cambodia opens its hands to cooperate with all sides to share experiences and techniques in the field of maritime security," he added.

For example, he said, the United States' amphibious assault ship USS Essex is currently docked at Sihnaoukville to cooperate with Cambodian side in humanitarian affairs for the Cambodian people.

"We also welcome warships from France, Australia, Japan and other countries to come," he added.

The USS Essex arrived in Sihanoukville on Monday to carry out medical, military and civic engineering missions in several provinces.

Southwestern port city Sihanoukville faces the Thailand Gulf, where the kingdom has a huge interest of marine products and a profitable prediction of oil and natural gas reserves.

Source:Xinhua Read more!