By Ek Tha
PHNOM PENH, 12 Dec. 2013 (PRU) – H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An exchanged views with the Swedish Ambassador on the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) which are conducting the Khmer Rouge trials.
Dr. Sok An recalled his six years of complex negotiations with His Excellency Hans Corell of Sweden, who was the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, before an agreement on the ECCC was reached in 2003.
Dr. Sok An, who is the Chairman of the Royal Government Task Force on the Khmer Rouge Trials, said the ECCC holds five world records: first, the speed of carrying out its work including adoption of internal rules and conducting the first trial; second, the Court’s relatively low cost; third, the swift and smooth arrest of all charged persons and the absence of any fugitives; fourth, the wide extent of public participation and support of the trials; fifth, the unprecedented involvement of victims as civil parties in the judicial process.
Her Excellency Ambassador Anna Maj Hultgard told Dr. Sok An that Stockholm has just pledged another $1.5 million to the international side of the Court.
Although Sweden is not making a financial contribution to the national side of the ECCC at this stage, Ambassador Hultgard said that Stockholm continues to work with the Court to render justice to the victims of Democratic Kampuchea between 17 April 1975 and 6 January 1979, when an estimated more than 2 million Cambodians died of execution, starvation, disease and forced labour.
Both sides welcomed an August joint mission by David Scheffer, the Secretary-General’s Special Expert on United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials, and Cambodian Secretary of State Keo Remy, which visited five capitals of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in an effort to raise funds for national side of the Court, although no pledges were made.
Ambassador Hultgard said that Stockholm wants to promote trade and investment and strengthen cooperation with Cambodia.
The Ambassador recalled that Cambodia was plagued by factional fighting and wars in the 1970s and 1980s, and many people still retain that image of Cambodia. “I will try to change that perception to one of Cambodia as a tourist destination”, she said.
Both sides agreed to improve tourism, which will contribute to expanding other sectors.
“Once tourists come, other sectors will follow”, said Dr. Sok An.
Ambassador Hultgard said that Sweden hopes to work with Cambodia in the areas of legal and judicial reform which will attract more foreign direct investment to Cambodia.
Stockholm also intends to work with Cambodia in education, environment and human right.
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