Thai 'Yellow Shirts' rally against Cambodian border agreement

BANGKOK: About 2,000 Thai royalist "Yellow Shirts" rallied on Tuesday in front of parliament to protest against an agreement that they say will recognise an unfounded Cambodian land claim.

A 750-strong police presence was on hand in Bangkok as the Yellows, known as the People's Alliance for Democracy, shouted "Traitors!" as lawmakers and senators inside debated memorandums of understanding with Cambodia.

Ties between the neighbouring countries have been strained since July 2008 by a series of deadly border clashes over land surrounding an 11th century Cambodian temple after it was granted UN World Heritage status.

"We today come to show our stand against the MOUs which will make the country lose 4.6 kilometres to Cambodia," Sondhi Limthongkul, the Yellow Shirt leader, told reporters during the seven-hour demonstration.

The group would like to see Thailand regain control of the ancient Preah Vihear temple, which the World Court ruled in 1962 belonged to Cambodia, although the main entrance lies in Thailand.

Parliamentarians set up a joint committee on Tuesday to further discuss the pacts over the border, which has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

The Yellow Shirts are a force to be reckoned with in Thailand's colour-coded political landscape, backed by the Bangkok-based elite and pledging allegiance to the monarchy.

Their 2006 rallies helped trigger a coup that unseated the now-fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra, hero of the mostly poor, working class "Red Shirts", whose Bangkok protests this year culminated in deadly clashes with troops.

The Yellows also held a crippling airport siege in 2008 against the then pro-Thaksin government that left thousands stranded.

- AFP/de
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Mixed Munitions Messages

Officials have denied that the government scrapped plans to send a delegation to a meeting of nations that has ratified a convention banning cluster munitions, insisting that a Cambodian delegation will attend.

The meeting, set to begin next Tuesday, will bring together governments, United Nations officials, civil society representatives and cluster-bomb victims to discuss the merits of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

The convention came into effect in August but Cambodia is yet to sign it.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said a Cambodian delegation had been planning to attend the meeting all along.

“It will be someone from CMAC,” he said, referring to the Cambodian Mines Action Centre. When asked whether the government had originally declined to attend, he said: “No, what I heard is that Cambodia has committed to sending a delegation to the meeting.”

Last week, Leng Sochea, the Cambodian Mines Action Authority deputy secretary general, said Cambodia would not be sending a delegation to the meeting following orders from “high-level” authorities.

Cambodia was instrumental in the drafting of the Cluster Munitions Convention..
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Cambodia to record history of all pagodas

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian government has advised all provincial authorizes across the country to record the history of all pagodas to better oversee and know their backgrounds.

Dauk Narin, secretary of state of Ministry of Religion and Cult said Tuesday that his ministry has already advised all provincial and municipal authorities to record the backgrounds of all pagodas such as when they are established, how many monks are staying in those pagodas, and how many clergy men and clergy women.

The move was taken at the order of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen who is eager to get a clear and accurate data.

According to the statistics provided by Ministry of Religion and Cult, by April 2010, there were 4,392 pagodas and more than 50, 000 monks in all the country's 24 provinces and cities.

About 90 percent of 14 million Cambodian populations are Buddhists and the rest shared by Christians, Muslims as well as other ethnic believers.

According to Cambodian constitution, Buddhism is the state religion.

However, Cambodian government has told its people not to discriminate or insult other religions.
Earlier this year, the government ordered all televisions and radios to not broadcast or air any comments that insult religious beliefs of other religion.

In an advisory sent out all televisions and radio stations across the country, the Ministry of Information said there was one radio station airing comment saying only Christians who always distribute relief stuff to prisoners, the victims by typhoon and flood or earthquakes.

The advisory which was signed by Khieu Kanharith, minister of information said Buddhists are in great help of others when they are in need.

The advisory, however, said it was fine any televisions and radio to broadcast and air anything relating to all kinds of religions, but not to insult others.

It noted with appreciation that many programs that touch on religious affairs that help the society through the respect of morality, culture and tradition.
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Infrastructure Developments Prepares for Major Military Exercise in Thailand

HERNDON, VA, Nov 02, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Infrastructure Developments Corp. announced today that its Thailand based subsidiary, Intelspec, LLC (Thailand), is pursuing several logistics related Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA) to service the large scale "Cobra Gold" joint US-Thai military exercises scheduled for the first quarter of 2011 in Thailand.

Intelspec participated in the Cobra Gold 2011 Vendor Conference held in Bangkok on October 26, 2010 and is targeting the capture of contracts in transport, logistics, and supply of pre-fabricated buildings for the 2011 exercise. Final proposals are due in December 2010.

Intelspec has successfully performed BPA contracts for the US Army in Cambodia in 2010, and was awarded the design build contract for the Close-Quarters Battle training facility in Lop Buri, Thailand that was opened during Cobra Gold 2010. The facility is reputed to be one of the finest training facilities of its kind in Southeast Asia.

Infrastructure CEO Thomas R. Morgan said, "Our performance record and experience in 2010, building for the US Military in Thailand and Cambodia as well as completing the BPAs in Cambodia for the US Army, makes us very competitive in our pursuit of the contracts for the 2011 Cobra Gold exercises."

About Cobra Gold: Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled joint/combined exercise in the continuing series of US-Thai military exercises designed to ensure regional peace and strengthen the ability of the Royal Thai Armed Forces to defend Thailand or respond to regional contingencies. The 2011 program marks the 30th year of the Cobra Gold exercise series, and it remains the largest multilateral joint military exercise in the Pacific region.

About Infrastructure Developments Corp.: Infrastructure is an engineering and construction services company that services an underserved niche in the global project management spectrum, targeting specialized projects and subcontracts that are too small to attract giant multinational firms, but which still require world class engineering expertise. Staffed by key personnel with decades of experience in performing work for the US Department of Defense and the US Department of State, Infrastructure is familiar with the complex requirements of government contracts and the unusual challenges of performing high standard work in challenging environments. The company is also expanding its project management services into the oil and gas industry.

Forward-Looking Statements: A number of statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties including Infrastructure's ability to procure design and management projects, competitive market conditions, and Infrastructure's prospects for securing additional sources of financing as required. The actual results that Infrastructure may achieve could differ materially from any forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties. Infrastructure encourages the public to read the information provided here in conjunction with its most recent filings on Form 8-K, Form 10-Q and Form 10-K. Infrastructure's public filings may be viewed at www.sec.gov. Read more!

Cambodia closer to exchange launch

PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIA moved a step closer to setting up a national stock exchange on Tuesday after 15 securities firms were granted licences to operate on the twice-delayed bourse, officials said.

'This clearly reflects the strong willingness of the government in putting the securities market into operation,' Finance Minister Keat Chhon said at a ceremony in Phnom Penh.

The licences were awarded to seven underwriters, four brokers, two investment advisers and two dealers.

Officials were working hard to ensure the stock exchange would open by July 2011, said Keat Chhon, who is also the chairman of Cambodia's securities and exchange commission.

Cambodia signed an agreement in 2008 with representatives from South Korea's stock exchange, the Korea Exchange, Asia's fourth-largest bourse operator, to establish a stock market in 2009.

But the southeast Asian nation delayed the launch when the global financial crisis struck. The government said at the time it would aim for a 2010 start, but recently pushed that back to next year. -- AFP
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Cambodia Deals a Blow to Thaksin

Hun Sen may tilt towards Abhisit

Thais and Cambodians alike are puzzled following the abrupt shift of Phnom Penh's policy toward Bangkok. This new policy is more amicable, more compromising and less confrontational.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, in particular, is seen to have enthusiastically welcomed a renewed relationship with his former enemies across the border – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, with potentially ominous personal implications for Thaksin Shinawatra, the deposed Thai Prime Minister who continues to lead protest inside the country from afar.

In Hanoi last week at the sidelines of the 17th Asean Summit, Abhisit met with Hun Sen and engaged in a 15-minute discussion. Abhisit later told the media that Hun Sen had accepted a request from Thailand to investigate reports that some red-shirt leaders with outstanding arrest warrants for terrorism were hiding in Cambodia. Abhisit also said Hun Sen had assured him that Cambodia is ready to throw its support behind Thai authorities if they officially requested it.

On the surface, this friendly development seems to suggest that Thai and Cambodian leaders have forgiven one another for what they did to each other in the past and now want to put differences aside. In his interview with Singapore's press, Kasit declared, "Thai-Cambodian relations are on the mend, especially after the return of our respective ambassadors to their posts. We may have our differences, but I think this is not uncommon for neighbouring countries sharing a common border."

But such flowery diplomatic language fails to shed light on what has really driven Hun Sen to U-turn his country's policy.

In my interview with a self-exiled UDD leader, he admitted that the entire strategy of the current pro-democracy red-shirt movement, which included the UDD, independent groups inside and outside Thailand, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his team, and possibly some members of the Puea Thai Party, has not been uniformly conceived.

This condition could open the door for the radical elements to exploit the movement's ambiguous agenda and strategy. The interviewee also hinted that Hun Sen himself might not be able to confirm that so-called red shirt militants are being trained on his soil. In fact, Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh said over the weekend that he did not know if Arisman Pongruangrong, presently charged of terrorism in connection with political violence during the red-shirt protests, is in hiding in his country. And this could explain why Hun Sen was willing to cooperate with the Thai authorities, to find out the truth himself.

It may also explain why Hun Sen has lately been distancing himself from the red-shirt movement and instead befriending the Abhisit government. Back in October 2009, Hun Sen publicly offered his support to Thaksin and the UDD. He stated, "This is just moral support from me. As one million Thai people of the red-shirt group support Thaksin, why cannot I, as a friend from afar, support Thaksin?"

But it becomes clearer now that the red-shirt movement, and to some extent the Puea Thai Party, have been in serious disarray. The fragmentation within the red-shirt camp, partly because most of its core leaders are under detention, has compelled Hun Sen to reconsider whether supporting the red shirts is still in his country's interest.

It is unlikely that the Cambodian government would sacrifice itself or be exposed to such risks without any coherent or winnable strategy on the part of the red-shirt movement. After all, Hun Sen is known to be a calculating political leader and therefore would not play the game if there was no sure bet available.

The red-shirt UDD is not the only casualty in this perplexing diplomatic game between Cambodia and Thailand. Thaksin, too, has become Hun Sen's estranged partner. At the peak of Thai-Cambodian conflict last year, Hun Sen said out loud that Thaksin was his protégé. Hun Sen even made an emotional plea, "Though I am not Thai, I am hurt by what has happened to him. My wife even cried on learning about it and has an idea to build a home for Thaksin to come and stay honourably." As a consequence, Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as a special economic advisor to his cabinet, apparently to irritate the Abhisit government and further complicate Thai politics.
However, the political situation in Thailand has changed drastically within the past six months, precisely after the violent crackdown on street protesters in Bangkok in May 2010. Some red-shirt members were accused of engaging in terrorist acts. Thaksin, increasingly politically marginalized, has been labelled by his opponents as the chief operator of a terrorist network.

Hun Sen may only now realise that Thaksin, once perceived as Cambodia's long-term interest, is slipping away and that it will be very difficult for him to return to power anytime soon. At the same time, he may also observe that Abhisit's Democrat Party, despite currently fighting for its continued existence in the dissolution case, appears to have become much stronger, not so much because it has crafted new political strategies, but because the Puea Thai and the UDD are both becoming weaker and the channels of communication between them have broken down.

As Prime Minister's Office Minister Ong-art Klampaibul said in early September this year, "Hun Sen has voiced confidence that Abhisit will stay in the post for a long time and that the prime minister has grown stronger and proved his leadership skills."

Critics of this government may not want to hear this, but it is highly possible that, under the present political circumstance, the Democrat Party stands a good chance of winning the next election, with the help of certain personalities, like Newin Chidchob. Thus, in the short term and perhaps for the next 4-5 years, the Democrat Party would still be around. The traditional elite are determined to keep the Democrat Party so that it could watch over any major political event or transition within the political domain or key institutions.

Hun Sen might not have the patience or does not want to wait until the day Thaksin comes home. In actual fact, this might not happen at all. Hence, the disintegration of Thailand's opposition and the slim chance of Thaksin's political survival could form the basis of Hun Sen's changing attitude toward Thailand.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a former Thai diplomat and now a Fellow at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
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Observers See Balance Shift With Vietnam, China

Cambodia's improving relationship with China has become cause for concern in Vietnam, which has long held warm ties of its own with its neighbor, according to the author of a new book.

Bill Hayton, author of “Vietnam: Rising Dragon,” told VOA Khmer in Washington the Vietnamese now fear Cambodia will become “a satellite of China.”

“So they are very, very keen to see [that] Cambodia remains a friendly country,” he said. “And obviously they are in the position to have an enormous amount of influence in Cambodia.”

Political and economic ties have so far kept Vietnam and Cambodia close, “and they want to keep that position,” said Hayton, who is also a producer for BBC World News.

In recent years, China has expanded its own political, economic and military ties with Cambodia, providing a flood of aid money in a trend that has rights activists worried.

Meanwhile, the US and Vietnam have forged stronger ties. But Vietnam also has a lot of investment in Cambodia, up 10 percent over the last year, including electricity deals, rubber plantatio ns and exports.

Observers now wonder where how these competing balances will play out.

“We have seen that the influence of China over Cambodia is enormous, and Vietnam is turning to the US,” said Chheang Vannarith, a fellow at the East-West Center and executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace. “So this is a crossroads that Cambodia faces.”

Of particular concern is how human rights issues play second to economic deals. All parties have become better economic partners, but the US still diverges with both China and Vietnam on human rights.

“When we look at the relationship between the US and Vietnam, we see that the human rights issue remains murky,” Chheang Vannarith said. “So with the issues of human rights and economic interests, we have to know how to balance which one is more important. I think that when the economy grows, maybe the human rights issue doesn't get any attention, because economic interests are larger.”

Hayton acknowledged that human rights in Vietnam have been overshadowed by economic interests.

While some Western countries have made inroads in democracy and opening society in Vietnam, he said, “the one thing that isn't changing is the fact that the Vietnamese Communist Party is still going to run the country.”

“The Western governments adjust their policies, and they will call for the release of dissidents,” he said. “But they are not going to impose sanctions on Vietnam, because they don't see [that] it would help their cause and wider interests.”
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Hillary Clinton Endorses UN Human Rights Office in Cambodia

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton looks at a wall of faces of those killed by the Khmer Rouge regime, during a tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, formerly the regime's notorious S-21 prison, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 01 Nov 2010.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has thrown her support behind the U.N. human rights office in Cambodia, and also addressed the issue of Cambodia's debt to the United States during a visit to Phnom Penh as part of two-week long tour of Asia.

The Cambodian government wants the United Nations to close its human rights office here. But Secretary Clinton defended the office Monday, calling it "a valuable resource."

"It provides technical assistance to the government," Clinton said. "It also works with these NGOs [non-governmental organizations] that are in Cambodia, both Cambodian NGOs and international NGOs on a variety of concerns including human rights, trafficking in persons, and the rule of law." Clinton added, "So, the High Commissioner's office is active in ways that we think are very complementary to what the Cambodian government is committed to doing, and we think the work is important and we would like to see it continue."

While she endorsed the work of the U.N.-sponsored tribunal prosecuting the leaders of the Khmer Rouge, Clinton said her immediate priority is to ensure there is sufficient money to fund the next trial. This second case of four Khmer Rouge leaders is set to begin next year, and she estimates will cost up to 50 million dollars to complete.

But the Cambodian government has said it wants the international tribunal to shut down after that case and not pursue more. Clinton noted the government's concerns about political instability should the tribunal prosecute more cases, a concern many human rights groups do not share.

"That is something that we in the international community should consult closely with the Cambodian government on," said Clinton. "But the first piece of business is getting 002 to trial. And I want to see that happen as soon as possible. So I will be personally reaching out to help raise the money to get that done," she said.

More than a million Cambodians died of starvation, illness and execution when the Khmer Rouge ruled the country in the 1970s. The tribunal concluded its case, against a prison commandant, a few months ago.

Clinton indicated the United States is willing to consider different options regarding $445 million that Cambodia owes it from the 1970s. The debt stemmed from U.S. support for the Lon Nol government, which ran Cambodia from 1970 to 1975 before the nation fell to the Khmer Rouge.

Phnom Penh says the debt should be canceled. But talks on resolving the debt have not been held since 2006.

"We have agreed that the United States will send a team of experts as soon as possible to resume discussions over ways to settle this debt," said Clinton. "The discussions as you know ended in 2006. We very much want to see this matter resolved."

She added, however, that the United States would be interested in seeing the money spent in Cambodia on improving education or environmental protection, instead of taking a direct repayment.

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Town Hall With Cambodian Youth

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Chaktomuk Theater
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
November 1, 2010

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I am delighted to be here with all of you and I thank you very much for being here on a holiday and participating in this town hall. Kalyan, thank you so much for an excellent job. And Minister of Education, thank you so much for being here with us, and our ambassador as well. I have come to Cambodia for the first time, but it is a destination I have long wanted to visit. And I especially, was moved by the reports of my husband’s visit in 2006 when he returned home with stories of the progress that is being – happening here now that I wanted to see with my own eyes.

I am very pleased that we have a chance now in 2010 to talk in a very open way about not only Cambodia’s future and especially for the young people like yourselves, but the partnership between Cambodia and the United States. We are very committed in my country to working with you to provide more young people with opportunities like student exchanges or Fulbright scholarships or other fellowships, a chance to study and learn in the United States, and we want to encourage more Americans to come to Cambodia to see for themselves and to experience the warmth and graciousness of the Cambodian people.

I also hope that we can have some ideas from you about what you would like to see the partnership between the United States and Cambodia to be like in the years ahead. As I look at this audience, I realize that many of you were not born when I was in school, and you were not born when your country was locked in a civil war. You have an opportunity to rewrite the future, and that’s what I think is so important about what is happening in Cambodia today. The great history, the culture, the arts, the legendary generosity of the Cambodian people is something that will always be with you. But it will be up to the young people to decide how to chart that new future.

Today, Cambodia is in the process of transformation. Peace reigns, the economy has grown fast for a decade, trade and foreign investment are increasing, tens of thousands of new jobs have been created, roads that were once impassable have been de-mined and rebuilt. The tribunal that was set up by Cambodia, the United Nations, and the international community is bringing some of the people who caused so much suffering to justice. That is very important work, although I’m well aware that the work of the tribunal is painful, but it is necessary to ensure a lasting peace. And I thank everyone who has supported that.

This progress is testament to the hard work and determination of the Cambodian people – you, your parents and grandparents, neighbors and friends – and the United States wants to help you keep that progress going. We think Cambodia has a very bright future, not only on your own but as part of a growing and thriving region. Right outside this building is the great Mekong River, one of the great rivers in the world. And yet climate change, dam building, is beginning to impede the flow and the predictability of that great river. This is just one of the challenges that will have to be addressed by you and your generation.

We want to help Cambodia establish a new era of opportunity so that you do not fear for the future, but you look forward to it; you find good jobs, you develop your talents, and you make your contribution. The United States Government has invested more than $70 million just this year for Cambodia’s economic development. We are also working in other areas. Our health experts are working (inaudible) experts to expand access to critical services for people, including prevention, treatment, and care for those living with HIV and AIDS. Our law enforcement experts are working together to crack down on human trafficking and child sex tourism. Yesterday, I visited a shelter in Siem Reap run by a friend of mine, a heroic Cambodian woman named Somaly Mam who herself was enslaved and escaped from that and now devotes her life to helping other women and girls escape as well.

The United States is also proud that we have worked to restore so many of your cultural and archeological treasures, because they say a lot about the great history of your people. And they also bring tourists, which is a great source of income for the country.

So I am here today because I don’t want to just read about Cambodia. I don’t want to just have someone else tell me what young people are thinking and doing. I want to hear that firsthand from you. And I hope that after this town hall is over that you will continue to engage with our American Embassy, with American businesses, NGOs, universities that have a presence in this country, because we want to not only have a partnership between our governments but a partnership between our people.

Earlier today, my staff and I toured the Genocide Museum in the old Tuol Sleng school. It’s a very disturbing experience. And the pictures – both the pictures of the young Cambodians who were killed and the young Cambodians who were doing the killing were so painful. But I also came away very impressed, because a country that is able to confront its past, (inaudible) a country that can overcome it. I travel all over the world. I like to go into settings like this that are unscripted and unprepared, as well as meeting with officials. I just met with His Majesty the King and I’ll meet with the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, and the foreign minister so that I can hear firsthand. So I have listened to what people in other countries tell me and I watch what they are doing. Countries that are held prisoners to their past can never break those chains and build the kind of future that their children deserve. So I was very proud to see firsthand the willingness of your country to face that past bravely and honestly.

And now I am here with you – young people, whose lives have been lived in peace, blessed with talents and energy, freedom to pursue your own dreams. You are the best evidence for Cambodia’s present and future potential. You really do represent the best hope, as young people in every country do. And I look forward to learning how the United States, both our government and our people, can be partners with you to help you realize your own dreams, but just as importantly to help your country have a future of peace, democracy, stability, and prosperity for all. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Now what we’re going to do is to have you raise your hands, and I will call on people. I will try to cover the whole room. Then a microphone will be handed to you, and if you would stand up and identify yourself and ask your question. And I have earphones so that if you’re not speaking in English I will get a translation and be able to respond to you.

So who wishes to start? Where should we start? Oh my goodness, this is great. All right, I saw a very eager hand, this young – right there. No, the one – you’re turning around. Right there, that young lady right there. Yes, yes, yes. I’ll take you and then I’ll take the other young lady, and then I’ll move to this other side. Okay.

QUESTION: Good morning, Madam Secretary. My name is Lita (ph) from the Department of Media and Education at (inaudible) university (inaudible), and my question goes to you. You are one of the most influential people in the world, so I wonder, has your gender ever been a challenge for you in your political career? Thank you. (Applause.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: The answer is yes. Not often and not in any way that has prevented me from doing my job and pursuing my interests and my obligations, but I think it is fair to say that even in my country it is more challenging for women to (inaudible) public office in many different circumstances than it is for men. That has improved a lot. It is so much better than it used to be. But it remains a challenge for each woman to face and for all women to work to overcome.

It will not surprise you (inaudible) say that I am a strong supporter of the rights and opportunities of women and girls, because I believe that any country that does not use the talents of all of its people, including the one half that are women and girls, is losing out on what could be even greater opportunity and growth. And I would like to see more young women pursuing political careers in government, in political parties, even in running for office, in being appointed to high office. And I would like to see young women take advantage of careers in business, in academics, in the professions.

So that if you are willing to work hard, study hard, and be prepared, then you should be able to hold a job based on merit. And maybe at some point in the future, we will solely judge people on, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, the content of their character and their ability to do whatever job they are trying to do.

So I’ve had some challenges, not a lot but enough to know that it remains a real issue. And we all have to work in our own societies to try to open (inaudible) of opportunity and then assist young women to walk through them and to take advantage of their own commitment, determination, and to be successful not only for themselves but for their societies.

Now, there was another young woman who stood up at the same time, so let me take her and then I will move on. Yes.

QUESTION: Wow, I’m so excited. Good morning, good afternoon. (Laughter.) I would love to hear your own experience since you (inaudible) how to become very successful and powerful like you, because you are my idol, actually. (Applause.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, thank you. Well, let me tell you just a little bit about my life, because everyone has a different life story and none of us is the same, which is one of the great joys of being human beings, because there is so much diversity and variety in who we are and where we come from. I am the oldest of three children. I have two younger brothers. My mother never went to college; she never had that chance. She had a very hard life as a girl and had to go to work when she was about 13, but she was able to finish high school. And my father was in the navy during World War II.

And when they got married, they were very committed to supporting their children and giving their children the best education, and they made no distinction between me and my brothers. They had the same expectations for all three of us. My father was pretty strict in the way he raised us, and he would tell me always to do my best and he expected me to work hard in school and perform to the best of my ability.

So when I went to college, it was a very important step for me and especially for my mother because she did not have that chance. And I always felt an obligation to study hard and to work hard and to do the best I could in anything I was doing. And so I graduated from college and then I went to law school, which was not that common for girls when I went to law school, but I liked to study how things worked in government and in society, and being a lawyer gave me a lot of information and insight into that.

And in law school I met a young man named Bill Clinton and started to date him, and we both graduated from law school and we both ended up being law professors. And we got married in 1975, so we just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary. And we have a wonderful daughter, our daughter Chelsea, who just got married this past summer. And my husband has always worked very, very hard and he’s always supported me in the work that I have done.

So I had a supportive father and a supportive husband, and my advice is look for a supportive husband – (laughter) – as a young woman who wants to do things that enable you to use your education and follow your own dreams. But I also very much wanted to be a mother and feel like raising my daughter was the most important thing I’ve ever done, and I think you can combine and balance your personal hopes and your professional and public involvements. And I hope for each of the young women and the young men the kind of life experiences that will make you feel like you’ve had the best of both. It’s not easy, but it is very much worth it.

So thank you for your kind words, and I wish you luck. (Applause.)

Yes, this young man right there. Yes. Here comes the microphone.

QUESTION: Good afternoon, Madam Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and we (inaudible) speak to you this morning. And (inaudible) my question (inaudible) my friend (inaudible) too far from (inaudible) and we wish – we want to speak – we wish to have a conversation with him as well (inaudible) and (inaudible) to Mr. Obama that yes we can. He’s my hero.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Oh good, I will tell him that.

QUESTION: My question for you is, as you know, China is (inaudible) and influence in Cambodia and what is the implication of this influence on the partnership between Cambodia and the United States and (inaudible) democracy and (inaudible) Cambodia itself?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, thank you. (Applause.) Well, it is certainly up to Cambodia – your government and your people – to determine your own relationships with other countries. But I think it is smart for Cambodia to be friends with many countries and to look for opportunities to cooperate with many countries. I think that many countries want to support Cambodia and your future. Many countries are already contributing to Cambodia in arts, in culture, in health, education and so many other ways.

So it’s like our relationship with other countries. You look for balance. You don’t want to get too dependent on any one country. You want to be able to have partnerships that cut across regional geographic lines. China is a great country and China has a very, very exciting future. And there is certainly many reasons for Cambodia to have good relationships with China. I think there are also important issues that Cambodia must raise with China. For example, I mentioned the Mekong River. One of the initiatives that the United States is working on is to bring Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand together to work to protect the Lower Mekong. And one of the challenges are dams on the Upper Mekong, so there has to be negotiations and discussions even among friends about how to protect a great resource like the Mekong River for everyone.

So I think that it is not for the United States to tell Cambodia how to manage Cambodia’s relationships, but as a historical observation, having good relations with as many countries as you can, looking for ways to work with those countries, and to have very open dialogues so that you can solve problems, you don’t just have relationships but you raise issues with each other, I think is the best way to go. And so I would hope that that’s what Cambodia chooses to do in the future. (Applause.)

Oh my goodness, so many hands, so little time. That young man right there with glasses. The white shirt, yes.

QUESTION: Madam Secretary, thank you for being here today. I actually just read the essay that you wrote in Foreign Affairs the other day, and one of the things I found very insightful (inaudible) that the material conditions of people in other countries have a direct impact on security interests and the U.S. stability and prosperity.

Now, you may be aware that before your visit here, conversations in Cambodia often turn to the U.S. demand that Cambodia repay more than $400 million in debt that was incurred primarily in the early ‘70s. We, as a country, I think just cannot afford to repay that more than $400 million, is roughly 5 percent of our annual GDP. We cannot afford to repay unless we do it at the expense of the well-being and development of millions of Cambodians.

So my question is: Do you agree that the most (inaudible) solution to this problem is to probably start negotiating debt cancellation immediately? Thank you. (Applause.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. First let me thank you for reading the Foreign Affairs article. I appreciate that very much. Actually, I’m going to raise with both the deputy prime minister, foreign minister, and with the prime minister my hope that we can resume discussions about how to handle this very old debt. When you have a debt like this one that does go back to the 1970s, to the Lon Nol government, then you know that it is something that carries not only financial implications but political and strategic implications as well.

And I want to – I will send a – if the Government of Cambodia is willing, I will send a team of experts and we will explore different ways to try to approach this – some combination of one of many different approaches. You could have some repayment, you could have debt for nature, you could have debt for education. There are things that the Government of Cambodia could do that would satisfy the need to demonstrate some level of accountability, but more importantly to invest those funds in the needs of the people of Cambodia. So I think there are ways we can explore this. There are international rules, as you know, about how to proceed. Something called the Club of Paris sets certain expectations. But I would very much like to address this. I don’t – I share your concern that it is hanging out there and it needs to be addressed, and I would like to begin that as soon as possible. So thank you for asking. That’s an excellent question.

Applause.)

Yes, this young lady right there.

QUESTION: How do you do, Madam Hillary Rodham Clinton? I’m from the (inaudible) by Professor (inaudible), and my major (inaudible) at (inaudible) university of Phnom Penh. I want to know if Cambodia have sex tourism and what do you think. And one more thing. What exactly that to increase the (inaudible) in Cambodia to be independent like U.S. That’s all.

SECRETARY CLINTON: To be more independent?

QUESTION: Yes.

SECRETARY CLINTON: For the people to be more independent?

QUESTION: Yes.

SECRETARY CLINTON: I think education and economic development, increasing access for all people but particularly poor children to education, better infrastructure so that people can get their goods to markets. I know that Cambodia is primarily an agricultural economy, and making sure that you have the best means for agricultural production, systems for getting those products into markets so that the farmer benefits from them. So I think that there are certain practices that we have seen working in other places in the world that Cambodia is also able to take advantage of.

The key to a country’s freedom, to use your words, is a stable political system and a growing economy that is inclusive, so that the benefits of economic growth don’t go just to a small percentage of the population but that it goes through the population so that everybody feels that they have a chance, that their child can have a better life, that their hard work will pay off.

We know from looking at historical trends that the more there is economic inclusivity, the more stable and therefore the more prosperous and free a country can be. So there are many elements. There are political freedoms, there’s human rights, and on the political side there is the right to be heard, there’s the right of people to contest an election, independent judiciary, a free press. The elements of political freedom are especially important as you grow and stabilize a democracy. And economic growth so the people feel that democracy is delivering for them is also very important.

So it’s hard to pick one thing. You have to look at the whole basis for developing stable, prosperous, free, democratic societies. But I am impressed by the progress that Cambodia is making, but it must continue. It’s hard. The question about – from – one of the very first questions about my political activities as a woman – I’ve also been very criticized for my political beliefs and for what I have stood for. And in our country we have a very vigorous political debate. In fact, some of you know we’re having an election tomorrow. And it is an incredibly vigorous and contentious election system, but we think that it’s to the good because people get to express their opinions and they get to say I don’t believe that or I believe this, which over our history, as the oldest continuing democracy in the world today, has proven to be durable and successful.

So the political side of the freedom equation is very important, as is the economic side, so that people feel like they are seeing improvements in their own lives. So it really does go hand in hand.

Yes, right there.

QUESTION: Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to raise a question. First of all, on behalf of the Cambodian people and also (inaudible) the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, I would like to welcome you to Cambodia. And I’m (inaudible) of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, and I would like to (inaudible) the core element of human rights and political freedom is very important for the sustainability of Cambodia, so I would like to know you and the Obama Administration, what will you do about the current prime minister – the Cambodian prime minister’s proposal to close UN (inaudible).

And I understand that now the Obama Administration try to strengthen relationships with the Cambodian – with the government in Southeast Asia region. So what does this new (inaudible) will undermine the human rights assistance to Cambodia or not? Thank you. (Applause.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, the United States is absolutely committed to promoting human rights. When you think about the beginning of American history and our founding as a republic, if your read our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, we are a country that was founded on a belief that individuals are created equal, that everyone is entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that there are certain rights that every American has against his government – the right to free expression, the right to worship as you choose, and so on.

So we very much believe in human rights, and it is part of who we are as Americans. And we want to see more countries protect the human rights of their own people. So we raise this in every discussion we have with leaders of every country around the world. Now, different cultures, different histories, different experiences certainly have to be taken into account, and I am respectful of that. The United States’ experience is not Cambodia’s experience, is not China’s experience, is not India’s experience. So you have to recognize there are differences.

But we personally believe that every human being has certain inalienable rights, that there are rights that are universal that should be respected. But different societies will be on different paths to try to achieve that. So we are always urging more freedom, more respect for human rights, and we think being engaged with countries, being partners with countries on issues, is a good way to keep that dialogue going. So even where we disagree with the actions of a country or of a government, we don’t stop talking and we don’t stop working and we don’t stop looking for areas of agreement. Because it is important that you constantly keep the lines of communication open, and I think that’s what we’re doing in this region and around the world.

So we will always face these issues, but there are other important issues as well that we will similarly discuss. And we hope that democratic institutions become stronger in Cambodia and that the space for political expression is big and that people have the rights to be critical of the government, which you know my husband was president and many millions of Americans were critical when he was president. Now President Obama, who inspired so much hope and is such a great symbol of progress in the world, he’s being criticized. That’s what happens in our political system. And we don’t think it makes us weaker. We think it makes us stronger. So we hope that we can convince others to follow that approach. (Applause.)

Oh my goodness, how about this young woman right there in pink?

QUESTION: Thank you for my question. I want to ask you about the process of election in the United States, especially (inaudible) about you and Barack Obama and also your husband in Democratic Party and both of you I think maybe challenging each other to promote which one to become the top one to be the government. So I wonder, the first one – the first one you also – the one who also proposed it. But I remembered at the end you also support Barack Obama to be the government (inaudible).

SECRETARY CLINTON: That’s a very important point that your question makes and (inaudible) I’d like to describe to you. I ran against Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for president. I worked very, very hard. I raised and spent more than $200 million. I tried to beat him. And he won and I lost.

And when he asked me to be in his government, I was surprised. But we talked about it and we decided that it would be important to demonstrate to our country how two people can be opposed to each other but then work with each other for the good of the country. I believe so strongly that at a certain point in every country’s political development, you cannot let politics be personal, you cannot let politics interfere with the good of the country. And so both Barack Obama and I love our country, and that is why we work together. And I am very proud to be his Secretary of State and to represent the United States and the President when I travel and come to a country like Cambodia.

Many people around the world could not understand that. When I first started traveling, I got this question all over the world: How could you work for someone that you so strongly opposed? And it’s because we both love our country, that politics is a means to an end. Politics is supposed to elect people who want to solve problems to help the people of their country. And if you believe that, then you can work with someone who you were politically opposed to in order to solve problems in healthcare or education or the economy or so much else.

So your question is a very important one and what I have seen in many young democracies like Cambodia’s is people get into politics and they get so wrapped up in politics that they can’t imagine how they could work with somebody in the opposition; whereas, I think helping to bring people together on behalf of your country is really the ultimate purpose of politics. You are in politics not just to run for election and win. You are in politics to make a difference to help people. I believe strongly that in my public service I am giving back to my country that gave me so much.

And I think as people really consider that, it’s like what just happened in the United Kingdom. There’s a unity government between the conservatives, or Tories, and the Liberal Democrats. So you have a prime minister from one party, David Cameron, working with a deputy prime minister from another party, Nick Clegg. And they’re making some very hard decisions for their country.

So I think that’s one of the sort of thoughts to keep in mind is how politics is not an end in itself, but it’s a means to an end to improve the lives of the people you serve. (Applause.)

Oh my goodness, how about that gentleman in the back there, right there. Yes, sir, with the glasses and the blue – the gentleman, yes, yes. Oh dear, this is going to take a long time to – I’m sorry – get the microphone there.

QUESTION: First of all, I would like to say hello, madam. (Inaudible) come from (inaudible). I would like to ask you about the question that what is your opinion that (inaudible) Cambodia request USA to cancel the debt, and how about your opinion involved why not and why you should.

SECRETARY CLINTON: I’m not sure I understood your question.

QUESTION: I mean that I need your opinion about Cambodia request U.S. to cancel the debt. The debt, yes.

MODERATOR: Madam Secretary, it’s cancel the debt.

SECRETARY CLINTON: The debt?

MODERATOR: Yes.

SECRETARY CLINTON: The old debt? The old debt. Well, I am going to see if we can start a process with the government to try to figure out how to deal with that. So I’m well aware that this is a concern. It’s a concern of mine. So when I meet with the prime minister and the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, I will ask that we begin the discussions again. We haven’t talked about this since 2006, so I want to talk about it and see if we can figure out a way to move forward on it, because I would like to see Cambodia be able to invest its government funding in improving services for the people of Cambodia.

Yes, right there in the corner. Yeah, right there on the aisle. Yes, the gentleman right there. Right there in the blue shirt, yeah.

QUESTION: Good afternoon, Madam. My name (inaudible) Executive Director of Freedom Cambodia. We work closely in Cambodia, so I heard a lot from you that you’re concerned about Cambodia, you’re concerned about (inaudible) program issues in Cambodia, even (inaudible), even (inaudible). So my question is what is your comment or what are your (inaudible) to help Cambodia, for example, like Cambodians have a lot of (inaudible) substance abuse or (inaudible) young (inaudible). So the (inaudible) so what is the concern of the U.S. for the people in Cambodia? Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, one of the reasons I’m here is because both President Obama and I are concerned about the people in Cambodia. We already spend many millions of dollars helping on projects to help the people in Cambodia. I want to know what we can do better, how we can be more useful in working with the Government of Cambodia and individuals and organizations in Cambodia, nongovernmental organizations, for example. Because we can sit in the United States and say, well, we need to help Cambodia deal with HIV/AIDS or deal with the needs for more schools in rural areas or teacher training. We can have a lot of ideas in the United States about how we can help the people of Cambodia, but I think it’s better if we hear from the people of Cambodia and from the Government of Cambodia what is really the priority list.

And so that’s part of what I’m doing here is talking to the government, talking to others – our ambassador reaches out and meets with Cambodians from all walks of life – to really understand what we can do best to help. And we’re going to try to be responsive. And the debt issue, which two of you have raised, is an issue that I’m going to try to address, because I’ve heard about it here in Cambodia.

Yes.

QUESTION: Good afternoon, Madam Secretary. I am (inaudible) I am from (inaudible). So I would like to ask you two questions, so I think there are a lot of challenges(inaudible) so I would like you to share about the techniques to (inaudible) and the technique to win the (inaudible) with the negotiations.

SECRETARY CLINTON: I didn’t understand the question.

MODERATOR: He would like to understand what is your skill in order to win the debate and also in negotiations.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Oh, oh, just in general? In general?

QUESTION: Your secret personally (inaudible). (Laughter.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Lots of practice. Did you know that more people in the world are afraid of public speaking than being attacked by a criminal or dying in a fire? People are very scared to stand up in front of a crowd and speak. Does anybody feel like that sometimes? Yeah? And so it’s like anything in life; if you want to do it, you have to work at it and you have to practice it and you have to impose on your family and your friends so that they can give you a good, constructive criticism.

And in negotiation, I think it’s very important to, number one, understand the position of the other person. Because when you negotiate with someone, if you only are thinking about what you want, you will never understand what the others are looking for. So you have to put yourself into someone else’s shoes – that’s an old expression – to really say, okay, I’m trying to negotiate this, they’re trying to get something from me. How can we make this as much of what’s called a win-win? How can we have an outcome that will give both of us enough to feel like we’ve had a successful negotiation?

Sometimes that’s not possible, but many times it is. And it just takes a lot of practice. There isn’t any shortcuts. And if you’re interested in public life or public speaking or debating or negotiating, read a lot of books about it, look at videos, get information from people, and then practice. And you start off with baby steps and then you can actually go faster and faster over time. And I wish you well if that’s what you want to do.

Yes, way over there in the corner, that young woman right at the end there. Yes.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Wait, I cannot hear you. Talk right into the microphone.

QUESTION: My name is (inaudible) student of economic (inaudible) institute. I think I ask you your question that our priority need is economic development, so I want to ask you that does USA have any future plans to support the development of Cambodia, especially in investment?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Investment for – foreign investment?

QUESTION: Yeah, foreign. (Applause.) Thank you. I admire you so much.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, thank you. The United States will provide government assistance to assist with infrastructure development and economic development projects, but the best way to develop is attracting foreign investment. And in order for foreign investors to come to Cambodia, they have to feel as though the legal system protects their investments, protects their contracts. They have to believe that corruption will not interfere with the ability to make an investment and get a good return on that investment. And improving the business climate in Cambodia, which has been happening, is key to whether or not you will attract a lot of foreign investment.

Now, I think that tourism is a great opportunity for foreign investment. Oil and gas which may be more available off the coastline is something that needs to be explored and there needs to be a lot of competition so that Cambodia gets the best deal that you can get. There are agricultural opportunities for working with small and medium sized farms. There’s a lot of textile companies. The United States is a big textile customer for Cambodia. And if you go back and study this from the 1980s and the 1990s, the United States and Cambodia made a partnership to improve the working conditions of people in the textile factories so that textiles made in Cambodia would be exported into our market and our people would think that it was a good deal to buy the shirt or the pants because the people working in the garment factories were being treated better than they were treated in other countries. So Cambodia does a lot of exporting to the United States because United States customers like the idea of this partnership.

So we will work and our private sector will work to try to figure out new ways to promote foreign investment. And I think it’s – I think Cambodia is just opening up as a market that will track foreign investment. We’ve been going through the global downturn so it hasn’t been the best year, but we’ll get back on our feet and then in the next few years I think you’ll see more foreign investment, assuming that everything in Cambodia continues to develop along the track it’s on now. (Applause.)

Let’s see. My goodness, there’s so many hands, I don’t want to leave anybody out. Okay, there was a – that young man way over there standing against the wall. I can’t even see you barely, but you’re having to stand (inaudible).

QUESTION: I would like to express my deep respect to (inaudible) Secretary of the United States. My name is (inaudible) student in the major of international relations at (inaudible) university. I want to know that in the previous president Bush, he never took care about the Asian region, he never – he always think to take care about Iraq and Afghanistan.

SECRETARY CLINTON: That’s a very interesting question.

QUESTION: But now (inaudible) strong president to take care about Asia region. So what is the main reason that has turned this strong president to think about this area?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, let me answer it this way. When I became Secretary of State, I worried that people in the Asian region, as you say, did not believe that the United States was as interested as we had been. So my very first trip was to Asia. This is my sixth trip in 20 months to Asia. And on my first trip, I went to Indonesia and I went to Jakarta to the headquarters of ASEAN, and I said that the United States wanted to become more active in ASEAN and the United States under President Obama had signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. I was just in Hanoi, where for the first time the United States attended the East Asia Summit, because we want to be present and working with our Asian friends on these issues.

So if there were any concerns or perceptions about the past, I hope that we have eliminated those. Because both President Obama and I are very committed to America’s role in Asia. In fact, next – at the end of this week, President Obama will go to India, South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia. I will continue from Cambodia to Malaysia and then to Papua New Guinea, then New Zealand and Australia. So we are burning a lot of jet fuel to cover a lot of ground in Asia to very clearly demonstrate that the United States is committed to working with our friends in Asia, we’re committed to helping the people of Asia realize their potential, and we’re going to be a very strong presence in the region for many, many years to come. Thank you. (Applause.)

Oh my goodness, my goodness. Yes, this young lady right there. Yes.

QUESTION: Good afternoon, Secretary Clinton. I am very excited that you allow me to ask you a question. And now I have two questions, but first I introduce myself to you. I am from (inaudible) foundation and (inaudible) and I have two questions to ask you. The first one is what do you think about Cambodia-Thai border issue, and the second one is what challenges did you face along the way to becoming Secretary of State? Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. What was your first question again?

QUESTION: The first question is what do you think about Cambodia-Thai border issue?

MODERATOR: Madam Secretary, it’s the Cambodia –

SECRETARY CLINTON: Oh, Cambodia-Thai border.

QUESTION: Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: I think this is an issue that Cambodia and Thailand need to resolve. I think that resolving border problems is in both countries’ interests, and so I hope that there will be renewed efforts to try to do that. And I would urge both countries to work to overcome any concerns along the border.

And to go back to the question about negotiations, look for some ways to break the mold, to find some win-win solutions that can make sure the border is peaceful and that there is trade and commerce and tourism going back and forth, which will help both countries. That’s always to the good because when I was, just yesterday, looking at the magnificent temples in Siem Reap, I was told by several people, including some of the guides that we were with, that nobody now goes to the temple that’s disputed because it’s disputed, whereas money could be earned on both sides of the border if that dispute could be resolved. So I hope it can be.

And with respect to Secretary of State, it’s the most fascinating job. It’s an absolutely wonderful job, because I get to work on very important, difficult problems; I get to represent our country; I get to come to places like Cambodia and talk with all of you. So for me, it has been a very rewarding job. It’s hard. It’s extremely demanding. I probably don’t get enough sleep, and I know that. But it is something that I am very proud to be doing at this point, working with President Obama. So thank you. (Applause.)

Yes, the gentleman right there at the aisle. Right there. Yes.

QUESTION: Good afternoon, Madam Secretary. I am (inaudible) a student in the (inaudible) in (inaudible) province. Today I am proud that I came up here to ask you a question. I know that America helped Cambodia a lot on education, so my question is that what are your policies to help Cambodia more, a lot more related to education. Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Help Cambodia --

QUESTION: I mean that I know that America helped Cambodia a lot on education.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Yes.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) scholarship to Cambodian students. So my question is that what your – what are your policies to help Cambodians to learn more? Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, here are some of our ideas, and I hope that you will let me or our Embassy or some other American institution help. I mean, one thing is we would like to have more student exchanges so that more Cambodian students could come to the United States. We would like more international visitors so that Cambodians who are working in certain areas like in health or education could come to the United States and spend time in our institutions. We would like more fellowship programs so that if you are working, for example, in the Government of Cambodia you could come to the United States and work in our Congress or work in our government. We would like to expand greatly all kinds of exchanges.

We would also like more American universities to be operating programs inside Cambodia so that students who cannot go to the United States could have access to such programs. And we want to do more to help Cambodians, especially young people, learn English. I’ve been very impressed with every question you’ve asked me in English, and I would like to help even more young Cambodians learn English. So we’re looking at ways that we can increase the number of English teachers and opportunities.

So those are some of the ways. And investing in the colleges and universities in Cambodia to help you improve curriculum, improve facilities, improve technology, I think those are also very important and we would like to do that.

But one of the great changes which every one of you knows about is with technology, with your cell phone or with your iPhone or with your iPad or with your computer. You can be connected to the entire world. And the United States wants to put more programs online that would help young people in Cambodia. So we’re looking at all kinds of ideas. If you have ideas, let us know. For example, we just finished working with entrepreneurs in Africa. We sponsored a contest about how to use cell phones to improve agricultural productivity. If you use cell phones, you can get better weather forecasts, you can get better information about the cost of seeds or fertilizer, you can even communicate with veterinarians about – even though you’re in a rural area, what might be wrong with your cattle. There’s so many ways of improving what we do through using technology, and we would like to work with institutions in Cambodia to help do that as well.

So there are lots of ideas about education, not just formal education in classrooms but all kinds of definitions of education that we would be open to exploring to work with you. (Applause.)

MODERATOR: As you see, Madam Secretary, I believe we have time for one more question.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Oh my goodness, one more question and so many hands. Well, I tell you, if you – I’m only going to be able to call on one more person, so if you have questions that you did not get to me, if you get them to the Embassy, we will answer your questions.

Yes, this young lady right there. Yes.

QUESTION: Good afternoon, Secretary of State. My name is (inaudible) I come from (inaudible). I am a (inaudible) student in year three. Now I have the question to ask you (inaudible) that Cambodia has the problem – a lot of problem like the corruption and poverty or the violence, and my question I need you to remind us if you were the Cambodian leader, what is your (inaudible) strategy and to solve the problem in Cambodia (inaudible) the situation of Cambodia (inaudible). (Applause.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, of course, your leaders have to address your problems. I was very pleased that the government recently passed an anti-corruption law. I am very hopeful that it will be implemented and enforced. Corruption is a big problem around the world. But in a developing country that has so much potential as Cambodia, it can undercut the ability and the ambition of people. They feel like they could work very hard but they would not get ahead. So corruption can actually stand in the way of development, and I hope that the government here will be working on that.

I also was pleased that your government recently passed a law against human trafficking. This is a modern form of slavery and it affects millions of people around the world. And it is something that is just horrible. I mean, I look at all of you; I see these very bright and attractive young people, young men and young women. And the idea that somebody might come and snatch you off the street or kidnap you and put you in forced labor or put you in the sex trade would be heartbreaking to your family and to anyone who knows you. And so we all need to do more to prevent that, and the Government of Cambodia has made some important steps in that direction.

Every government has to be held accountable, including my own. Every government has to be held to a high standard, including my own. And I hope that the people of Cambodia and the Government of Cambodia chart an agenda that you will follow to strengthen your democratic institutions, to strengthen your economy, to strengthen your education system, because I would like to come back in years ahead and see a lot of progress in Cambodia. And the progress will really depend upon the opportunities that all of you feel you have. So I am hoping that the people of Cambodia will have very high standards for what you want for yourselves, and then you will in turn encourage and demand your government, because that’s the way it works. That’s how governments are supposed to be influenced and held accountable.

So I am very optimistic about Cambodia. I think that you have proven to be a resilient, courageous people under very difficult, painful challenges. So my hope is that you will keep forging ahead and that Cambodia will get stronger, more prosperous, and lead by example, not only here for your own people but in this region. And I wish you all the very best in your own lives. Thank you and God bless you. (Applause.) Read more!

US explores ways to settle Cambodian 'dirty debt'

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, shakes hands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Palace Photo: AP

The US is to explore ways to allow Cambodia to settle hundreds of millions of pounds of "dirty debt" due to Washington dating back to the 1970s.

By Ian MacKinnon in Bangkok

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said on a visit to Cambodia that a team would be sent to Phnom Penh to discuss how the matter could be closed urgently.

Hun Sen, the Cambodian prime minister, has asked the US to "forgive" the £320 million debt built up by the Lon Nol military government after it was brought to power by a Washington-backed coup in 1970.

The prime minister, who described the loans as "dirty debt", said Phnom Penh could not afford to repay the money borrowed by the regime that was toppled in 1975 by the genocidal ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge which killed 1.7 million Cambodians.

Rather than cancel the debt Mrs Clinton hinted that the US was searching for creative ways around the problem that would help development of the desperately poor country.

"We very much want to see this matter resolved," said Mrs Clinton. "We have agreed that the United States will send a team of experts as soon as possible to resume discussion over ways to settle this debt."

In a meeting with a group of students she suggested that any agreement might show Cambodia demonstrating some level of accountability, while aiding the environment and education.

A US official explained that one possible approach would see the US retiring some of the debt if Cambodia agreed to spend corresponding sums on educational and environmental projects in the nation still emerging from three decades of civil war that followed the Khmer Rouge's toppling in 1979.

Earlier Mrs Clinton visited the Tuol Sleng prison where the Khmer Rouge tortured 14,000 people to death. She said the experience was "very disturbing" and urged Cambodia to confront its troubled past.

Five senior Khmer Rouge leaders have been, or are about to be tried, by a UN -backed court. But Hun Sen has been set against trying lower-ranking Khmer Rouge, of which he himself was one.

Read more!

Abhisit says 2000 Thai-Cambodian MoU precludes UN, third country interventions

BANGKOK, Oct 31 -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday countered criticism that the 2000 Thai-Cambodian memorandum of understanding (MoU) related to the survey and boundary demarcation and three documents dealt with by the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting that might put Thailand at risk of losing its territories.

Speaking during his weekly TV and radio address, Mr Abhisit said his government has continued to defend Thailand’s territorial integrity.

Even United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon acknowledged during the ASEAN-UN summit, held in Vietnam last week, that third countries should not interfere in the Thai-Cambodian territorial dispute as the two countries signed an MoU with their Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) in operation, Mr Abhisit said.

He said those who are dissatisfied with the MoU and JBC should understand that the existence of these two would help prevent third country and the UN from interfering into the territorial dispute between the two countries.

He quoted Mr Ban as saying during the summit that negotiations must be held by Thailand and Cambodia.

The Thais should not worry that the country would lose some territory to Cambodia because the Thai constitution stipulates that approval must be given by Parliament before any government can make an agreement with that country.

He said the Thai parliament would only ratify this Tuesday minutes of the previous meetings between the two countries.

However, future meetings on the issue between the two countries must be approved by the Thai Parliament again, Mr Abhisit said.

His remarks were made as activists of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) last Friday petitioned the Central Administrative Court, asking it to stop parliament from considering the proceedings. The court is expected to rule on the injunction Monday.

The PAD also threatened to rally at Parliament this Tuesday, the same day that MPs consider the border commission's proceedings.

The PAD Yellow Shirts have claimed that documents originating from the MoU signed by Thailand and Cambodia in June 2000 related to the survey and boundary demarcation recognises a French map with a scale of 1:200,000 sq km which put Thailand at risk of losing territory. (MCOT online news)
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Clinton: US will help end sexual slavery

SIEM REAP, Cambodia—Pledging to do more to help end the scourge of sexual slavery, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited a rescue and rehabilitation center for child prostitutes in northern Cambodia on Sunday.

Before touring the famed 12th century Angkor Wat temple complex, Clinton met with a group of about 50 victims of human trafficking at the U.S.-funded facility in Siem Reap and promised them continued American support.

"I am so proud of you," she told the girls and young women, most of whom are between 17 and 23. They receive an education and vocational training that includes weaving and sewing lessons.

"You motivate me," she said.

Clinton listened as one young woman, Vann Sina, recounted her story of being abducted at 13 and forced to have sex with 20 to 30 men a day for more than two years before being rescued from a brothel.

"To be a victim is very hard," she said, recalling how she did not understand what she was meant to do when she was told to "sleep" with a customer. "I cannot forget. Sometimes I dream and I get very scared."

The Siem Reap center received a $336,0000 grant from the State Department last year to fund its operating costs and Clinton said she would make sure money continued to flow.

"I wanted to come here today to see you for myself," Clinton said.

Clinton was the first sitting secretary of state to visit Angkor. She was thronged by tourists as she strolled the grounds of the massive site with her aides, accompanied by a bevy of security agents and photographers.

On a tour of northern Cambodia, Clinton is about as far away as one can get from the intense political battle going on back home. Her husband and fellow Democrats are campaigning frantically ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections.

A self-proclaimed ex-politician, Clinton is barred from partisan political activity while serving as America's top diplomat.

The former first lady, New York senator and presidential hopeful is in the midst of a two-week, seven-nation tour of the Asia-Pacific. She won't be back at work in Washington until a week after Election Day.
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Thailand, Cambodia to hold talks on economic cooperation

BANGKOK, Oct 31 -- Thailand and Cambodia will confer on economic cooperation between their border provinces next month, according to Thai Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot.

Speaking at Suvannabhumi Airport on his return from the 17th ASEAN summit ending in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi Saturday, Mr Alongkorn said that senior officials in the border provinces officials of the two countries will meet Nov 30 and discuss possible economic cooperation.

The upcoming meeting is considered as positive sign toward “improving relations both at the provincial and national levels,” Mr Alongkorn said.

Cambodia’s commerce minister discussed economic cooperation between the two countries with Mr Alongkorn at the sidelines of the ASEAN summit. Both agreed that a summit should be held in February.

Both countries agreed Saturday in the Thai resort of Pattaya to cooperate on seven issues during the seventh General Border Committee meeting. The cooperation included allowing citizens of both countries to cross the border freely, removing land mines and to oppose every type of terrorism affecting the two neighbours.

Thailand and Cambodia both claim a 1.8-square-mile (4.6-square-kilometre) parcel of land near the cliff-top Preah Vihear temple, named by UNESCO a World Heritage site in 2008 after Cambodia applied for the status.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the ancient temple belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute, with occasional military skirmishes claiming a number of lives.

In another related development, the next ASEAN summit will be held in 2011 in Indonesia. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said during the closing address that ASEAN must strive forward and to continue following its principle.

ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (MCOT online news) Read more!

Cambodian minister hospitalised

BANGKOK - CAMBODIA'S Defence Minister Tea Banh was hospitalised in Thailand on Saturday because of pains caused by gallstones, Thai officials said.

Mr Tea Banh is expected to stay at a Bangkok hospital for one or two days, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon told AFP, adding that his condition was not serious.

He was in Thailand to attend a meeting on border relations in the coastal resort city of Pattaya, about a two-hour drive from Bangkok, at which the two nations agreed to boost cooperation on migration and landmine removal.

According to the Thai government-owned news website MCOT, Mr Tea Banh began suffering pain after playing a round of golf on Friday but continued with the meeting. -- AFP
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Benefit dinner to support Cambridge School in Cambodia Nov. 7

Cambridge — Coming up on Sunday, Nov. 7 is a benefit dinner to support the Cambridge School in Cambodia. The Cambridge School in Cambodia is a school near Phnom Penh in Cambodia that was built by the Cambridge for Cambodia organization, a volunteer group of Cambridge students and citizens. Three years ago, our community raised $24,000 to build a school in rural Cambodia. This number is made even more significant by the fact that this money came from the Cambridge community. Penny drives, bake sales, an online auction, a film benefit at Harvard, and benefit dinners at The Elephant Walk restaurant raised this large sum. And now, the Cambridge School in Cambodia exists in the village of Kauk Rovieng in Cambodia. Last February, 13 Cambridge citizens, including two teachers and eight students from our high school and middle schools (including myself) travelled to the school for the official dedication. We brought the students supplies – among them the ever-popular Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone translated into Khmer. We received a very big welcome by the entire village and learned a tremendous amount.

On Sunday Nov. 7, we will be holding another benefit dinner at The Cambridge Elephant Walk restaurant. All money raised from the ticket sales will go towards the funds needed each year to support the high tech education that includes instruction with two desktop computers that have internet access. The money is donated to our school through the American Assistance for Cambodia – the same non-profit organization that built our school and more than 450 other schools in Cambodia. The Cambridge for Cambodia organization also aims to raise enough funds to purchase two more computers for the Cambridge School, as well as the solar panels needed to power them. Our goal is to not only bring education to the village of Kauk Rovieng, but also technological advancements.

Last February during school break, a group of us travelled to Cambodia. We delivered medical supplies to local hospitals, visited the school, and met with local advocates working to address important social issues existing in Cambodia today. Among them was, Somaly Mam, known world-wide for her fight against the sex trade industry. Students from this trip, including myself will be there at the event on November 7th to share our stories with those who attend. We will also have a film and slide shows from our amazing journey.

It is our hope that people in the Cambridge community will join us again to support our school in Cambodia. Tickets for the event can be bought online at www.elephantwalk.com. We are grateful to the many Cambridge businesses who have joined in our efforts to create this school in Cambodia. We’ve learned a lot from our travels and benefited along with the Cambodian students. If you want to learn more about our volunteer project, please visit our website: www.cambcamb.org. The Elephant Walk restaurant is providing a delicious traditional Cambodian meal for our benefit. We hope to see you there!

Lucy Flamm is currently senior at The Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge.


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Cambodian bomb and landmine casualties up 11 per cent this year

Phnom Penh - The Cambodian authorities said 223 people have been killed or injured during the first nine months of this year by landmines and other explosives left over from war, an increase of 11 per cent from the same period last year.

Figures released by the Cambodia Mines/ERW Victim Information System showed landmines killed or injured 98 people, while 125 fell victim to other unexploded ordnance.

The organization distinguishes between landmines and other explosive remnants of war due to the different approaches required to deal with distinct types of weapons still present in the countryside.

Of the 223 victims, the report said 49 people died, another 39 lost limbs, with the remainder suffering other injuries.

In one of the worst incidents, a farmer and three friends were killed in August when a rocket-propelled grenade he was using as a comedy microphone exploded after he threw it to the floor at the end of his song. Three others were injured.

More than 60 per cent of casualties this year were men, most of whom were harmed by landmines. Boys comprise another quarter of victims, but most of them fell victim to unexploded ordnance used as toys.

Decades of conflict left unexploded ordnance that remains a serious risk in some areas of Cambodia, one of the most heavily mined nations in the world. More than half of this year's incidents took place in the far western region.

The latest figures raised to 63,743 the number of people killed or injured in Cambodia by ordnance since the ouster of the Khmer Rouge government in 1979
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PM surprised by PAD claims

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said his government is protecting the national interest by observing the 2000 Thai-Cambodian memorandum of understanding that governs the survey and demarcation of the land boundary between the two countries.

He made the point in response to the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which filed a complaint with the Administrative Court yesterday, accusing the government of jeopardising Thai territory by its observance of the MoU.

Mr Abhisit, who was attending the 17th Asean summit in Hanoi yesterday, said his government had neither a hidden agenda nor vested interests.

The cabinet intended to protect the national interest in its request that parliament approve three proceedings of the Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary or the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) of Thailand and Cambodia, he said.

The JBC was formed to implement the 2000 MoU, but it cannot begin its task without approval from the Thai parliament.

Mr Abhisit said he was surprised by the PAD accusation. He denied his government had used the widespread flooding in the country to mask the submission of the three JBC proceedings to parliament.

He said the proceedings were submitted to parliament publicly and the proposal took its normal pace after it had been shelved for a long time.

He said he was not worried about the PAD's planned rally on Tuesday to oppose the process but he warned participants to abide by the law.

Yesterday afternoon, PAD representatives accused Mr Abhisit's government of violating the laws of good national administration.

The group also accused the prime minister of violating the 2007 constitution by supporting an implementation of the 2000 MoU.

The PAD claimed seeking parliament's approval for the JBC's proceedings will lead to a loss of national territory.

Section 1 of the charter states that Thailand is one indivisible kingdom.

The PAD said that approval of the JBC's proceedings would lead to a temporary border agreement between the two countries and the agreement would allow Cambodia to challenge earlier settled sections of the boundary.

It also complained that the 2000 MoU recognised the French-made map at 1:200,000 scale. This put Thailand at a territorial disadvantage as the borderline in the map drawn by France encroached on Thai territory, the PAD claimed.

The PAD filed its complaint with the Administrative Court and asked the court to revoke the JBC's proceedings, the 2000 MoU and cabinet resolutions endorsing the negotiation framework for the JBC and supporting the proposal of the JBC's proceedings to parliament.

The PAD also sought an injunction to stop parliament from considering the proceedings. The court is expected to rule on the injunction on Monday.

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Cambodia’s mystical magical caves

Matt Lundy Special to the Star



KAMPOT, CAMBODIA—The Cambodian children hop between jagged rocks like little mountain goats, even though they’re wearing the same cheap, plastic flip-flops that we are. Our sandals have a thick lubrication of trail mud and perspiration, to the point where every few steps they slip right off. And yet the children – who likely make this trek daily – are goading us on, higher up the mountain and then deeper into the cave, saying “It’s so easy!”

My girlfriend and I didn’t plan on coming to Phnom Chhngok in Kampot, but our driver, Sarath, is ferrying us around to all the hotspots in this part of southern Cambodia, even if our attire is completely inappropriate. Minutes earlier, when we arrived at the closest village to the caves, a group of boys surrounded the car, led by a 10-year-old named Opp, who asked our names in the perfect grammar of an English composition professor. This is the point when we find out our driver is now useless to us: the youngsters, locally known as “the Cave Boys,” will be taking us into the limestone peak’s bowels.

As we make our way to the base, we cross through rice fields that are punctuated with palm trees, a scene that looks like b-roll footage from an old Vietnam War flick. Opp points to rice crabs that scurry along the paddies’ shallow floor and to far-off mountain ranges that have never seen a day of logging. We have about 300 stairs to climb now – it’s a luxury that there are stairs – but our footwear has been rendered useless by the mud trails, not to mention our wits are at half-mast following last night’s generous flow of Angkor beer.

About halfway through the climb we pay a one dollar entry-fee to a middle-aged man who is surrounded by gaudy statues of elephants and religious icons. The steps are then gradually replaced by uneven rocks – likely the result of lazy construction – that are made more difficult by their wetness, a by-product of Cambodia’s monsoon season.

When we finally reach the top and descend into the cave, it opens like a limestone blanket and reveals a 1400-year-old Hindu temple, made out of mud brick. It’s a little surprise “the Cave Boys” and Sarath failed to mention, but seemingly appropriate for the cities of Kampot and Kep, two Cambodian dark horses that delight visitors with their unexpected natural beauty.

Some veteran travelers have anointed Sihanoukville, a resort town on the Gulf of Thailand, as Southeast Asia’s “new Phuket.” But when real Cambodians want to escape the motorcycle mad streets of Phnom Penh and head south, they invariably go to Kampot and Kep, laid-back cities crammed with fresh seafood bodegas, densely forested mountains, and a host of accommodations to please any price range.

When we get back to the car, and after saying our goodbyes to “the Cave Boys,” we ask Sarath about how Kampot has changed in the past five years and where it’s headed.

“Kampot, it used to be very dirty,” he says. “But the city cleaned up the boardwalk on the river and many guesthouses are being built. I think the future will be good for Kampot. More people come here now.”

With its crumbling French Colonial architecture, sparse traffic, and stray dogs sleeping in the shade of noodle shop tables, Kampot looks like a Wild West relic. But a closer look reveals a city with gorgeous sunset views along the river, guesthouses that rarely exceed 15 bucks a night, and close proximity to some of Cambodia’s crown jewels: the Elephant Mountains and its jungles, Bokor National Park, and some of the world’s finest pepper plantations (just ask the French, who still import Kampot pepper, decades after Cambodia’s independence).

After sampling some fresh peppercorns straight off the plant, we go to Kep, a seaside town on the Gulf of Thailand just 30 minutes from Kampot by car. Formerly a coastal playground for Cambodia’s elite, Kep has developed into a chilled-out vacation spot with accommodations ranging from thatched-roof huts that please a backpacker’s wallet, to proper luxury resorts with all the frills you’d expect in the Caribbean. And although Kep Beach is popular with locals who come to swim and picnic, the beach itself has seen better days. When you come to Kep, you come to gorge on mounds of fresh crab meat, just pulled out of the water.

But for those, like me, who need a white sand beach lined with palm trees and a hammock, go to Rabbit Island, just 20 minutes from Kep by boat. Sarath tells us that the island reportedly got its name after King Sihanouk stocked it full of rabbits so that he and his buddies could hunt them on vacation, though no outside literature can back that up. Rabbit Island is a postcard-perfect retreat that is highly accessible, and yet totally rustic. The little overnight huts might not have running water, but cold cans of Angkor are available, because it wouldn’t be Cambodia without them.

After we leave Rabbit Island, Sarath drives us through the countryside on the way back to our guesthouse. My girlfriend and I aren’t talking, but not because anything bad has happened. We just look out the windows of our driver’s beat-up car – at the kids riding over-sized bikes, roosters crossing dirt roads, pigs being led by a leash – and realize why Cambodians overwhelmingly come here to escape.

Matt Lundy is a freelancer writer based in Phnom Penh.
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ATF 2011 Phnom Penh exceeds already all of our forecasts in terms of success

By Luc Citrinot, eTN

PHNOM PENH (eTN) - Cambodia will play host to the ASEAN Travel Forum next January for the second time in its history. Phnom Penh is getting ready to provide a memorable welcome to all delegates as explained by His Excellency So Mara, Secretary of State, Cambodia Ministry of Tourism.

eTN: How does the preparation of the ASEAN Travel Forum (ATF) look?

SO MARA: I am very pleased to say that we can already see all the signs of success even before we started to send the invitation to hosted buyers and media. We first thought that we would get 350 sellers. We then planned to have 400 sellers, but now we already received more than 480 requests. We have now to find solutions to accommodate all the requests and look at ways to expand the exhibition area to welcome more sellers. We are now in discussion with the Organizing Committee, as well as with the owners of Diamond Island Convention & Exhibition Center, ATF['s] main venue for the mart. For the buyers and media, we expect to host 400 buyers and 100 media. And we already received over 860 registrations. We might increase now the total number of hosted buyers with the deadline for final approval being set up for the first week of November.

eTN: What will the Ministry in Phnom Penh do to welcome ATF delegates?

SO MARA: We want to give a lasting memory to delegates about Cambodia’s traditional sense of welcome. We already blocked 1,500 rooms in Phnom Penh for the event with new prestigious venues including the brand new Sofitel Phnom Penh or Diamond Island Convention & Exhibition Center. All official meetings with ASEAN Ministers of tourism + 5 [China, India, Korea, Japan, and Russia] as well as with the tourism representatives from Saudi Arabia and UAE, will be hosted in the brand new Council of Ministers building, which is equipped with the latest high-tech facilities. This will be the first time that such meetings will take place in an official government’s building. Among the highlights, all ministers will receive a courtesy call from our Prime Minister and be granted an audience with our King. For all delegates, we prepare a lot of surprises, including the presence of world-famous VIPs and stars.

eTN: What do you expect from the ATF in terms of image benefits?

SO MARA: We first expect to show that Cambodia is fully back on the world tourism stage and that it is a must-see destination along [with] all other ASEAN countries. ATF gives us the opportunity to show that Cambodia is today at peace and a safe destination, thanks to strong political stability under the current government. We hope also to highlight that Cambodia offers a great diversity of holiday opportunities. Beyond the iconic temples of Angkor, which remains our country’s “signature,” the Kingdom of Cambodia is also a premier destination for beach tourism or eco-tourism.

eTN: How far has Cambodia tourism come this year?

SO MARA: We are likely to reach a new record in tourist arrivals. In 2009, we recorded a moderate growth of 1.7 percent to 2.16 million travelers. Until August of this year, total arrivals are up by 14.6 percent. We now forecast 2.42 million travelers for 2010 and estimate that tourist arrivals should reach 2.75 million in 2011. A very positive trend is Siem Reap. After two years of stagnation, international arrivals at Siem Reap airport were up by almost 17 percent from January to August 2010.

eTN: Do you try to diversify Cambodia's image by promoting new destinations?

SO MARA: Our three main destinations for visitors are Siem Reap/Angkor temples, Phnom Penh, and Sihanoukville in the south. However, we want to create a new icon along our coastal area as we believe that we have some of the best pristine beaches in Southeast Asia. We indeed look to qualify one of our beaches as one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. We want also to put more emphasis on eco-tourism, especially in the northeastern provinces of our country where rare animals and endangered flora species can still be discovered and observed. There are also other secondary destinations we want to push up such as Kep/Kampot as a beach resort destination or Preah Vihar temple for cultural tourism. We just completed a road to the temple, making it an easy destination, only two hours away from Siem Reap.

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