Cambodia to raise India-ASEAN summit issue again

By Amit Baruah

PHNOM PENH (Cambodia), JUNE 4. The Cambodian Prime Minister, Mr. Hun Sen, today told the visiting Vice-President, Mr. Krishan Kant, that his country would again raise the issue of a separate ASEAN-India summit at the next meeting of ASEAN heads of Government in Brunei in November. He also said Cambodian support for India to enter the U.N. Security Council as a permanent member would continue.

Mr. Hun Sen, who held official talks with Mr. Krishan Kant in the presence of senior Ministers of his Government, asked that India provide judges/prosecutors for a mixed Cambodian/international tribunal that is likely to try those responsible for the Khmer Rouge genocide between 1975 and 1979.

He thanked Mr. Krishan Kant for the services of two legal experts provided by New Delhi under the Indian Technical and Economic Assistance (ITEC) programme in October-November 1999 to assist in drafting a new law to try those heinous offences.

Briefing reporters, the Additional Secretary (South), Ms. Navrekha Sharma, said the issue of India extending a $10 million credit line for the purchase of machinery and equipment for farm purposes came up for discussions. She added that the Government of India would take an early decision on the matter.

India was also providing military training to Cambodian officers under the ITEC programme - the number of officers going for training to India would be raised from six in 2000-01 to 21 in 2001-02. Both sides also agreed that the current level of trade between the two countries was not very high - the value of bilateral trade was just $9 millions.

Ms. Sharma said the Vice-President had accepted, in principle, the offer of the Cambodian Government to restore some temples found recently in Angkor. A team from the Archaeological Survey of India would visit Angkor in this connection.

The Vice-President, speaking at a banquet hosted in his honour by Mr. Hun Sen, expressed gratitude for Cambodia's support to India in many global fora.

``Your country has been helpful in the ASEAN, in the ARF and in the United Nations, for which we wish to once again, express our profound gratitude. We, on our part, would also be very happy to continue to support Cambodia at various international fora, including in your efforts to become a member of the WTO,'' Mr. Krishan Kant said.

``I wish to assure you that India would continue, in whatever manner possible, to share its experiences and technical expertise bilaterally with Cambodia. On a regional basis, India is looking forward to cooperation with Cambodia and other countries under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation programme,'' he said.

The Vice-President made a pointed reference to India's invitation to the Pakistani Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, to visit New Delhi. Such a reference is important given the fact that some ASEAN nations have linked an ASEAN-India summit meeting to improved relations in South Asia.

Mr. Hun Sen said India and Cambodia had close relations for more than a thousand years. Besides, the two countries had shared a common struggle against colonialism.

``India is nearly as big as a continent. Besides the development of its economy... India today is among the most democratic countries. My visit to India in February 2000 gave me the opportunity to witness the great potentialities of India in Asia,'' he said.

``In the framework of ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Cambodia continues to consider India as (a) major player in contributing to peace, stability and security in the Asia and Pacific region,'' Mr. Hun Sen said.

Krishan Kant calls on Sihanouk

King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, the only one alive from the heady days of the Bandung Conference of 1955, today recalled with appreciation his association with Jawaharlal Nehru and the role played by India's first Prime Minister in shaping the principles of non-alignment.

Interestingly, after Nehru's visit to Cambodia way back in 1954, Mr. Krishan Kant, who called on the King at the Royal Palace, is the highest-ranking Indian leader to have come to this country in almost 50 years. King Sihanouk himself visited India way back in 1957.

King Sihanouk, who first ascended his country's throne in 1941 at the age of 19, has been witness to the region's tragic history as an active participant, who dominated his country's history from 1955 onwards.

King Sihanouk played the role of a gracious host to Mr. Krishan Kant. His hospitality at lunch far exceeded the expectation of his guests. The Vice-President, who is a vegetarian, found that his hosts had cooked according to his specifications.

Mr. Krishan Kant and other members of his delegation had another surprise in store for them. A small orchestra played old Hindi film tunes such as ``Mera joota hai Japani, yeh patloon Englistani, sar pe lal topi Roosi, phir bhi dil hai Hindustani (my shoes may be Japanese, my trousers English, my cap Russian, but my heart is pure Indian)'' as the guests enjoyed their vegetarian meal.

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