Phnom Penh, Oct 03: Cambodia's cabinet today approved the draft of a pact with the United States aimed at exempting Americans from prosecution by the international Criminal Court. The agreement, which was signed by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and US Ambassador Charles A Ray in June, will be forwarded to the National Assembly for ratification, said government spokesman Khieu Kanharith. The United States has signed such accords with many other countries, basically to block extradition of US troops and other Americans charged with crimes against humanity or war crimes. Washington argues that the court could subject Americans to politically-motivated trials. Cambodia agreed to the pact because it wanted to show its appreciation to Washington for its efforts to fight global terrorism, Khieu Kanharith said. It is unclear when the proposal will be considered by the National Assembly, which is still not functioning due to ongoing political squabbling between the parties whose lawmakers were elected in July's general election.
Bureau Report