CAMBODIA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO CAMBODIAN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
Record ID:
223022
CAMBODIA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO CAMBODIAN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
- Title: CAMBODIA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO CAMBODIAN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
- Date: 3rd July 2003
- Summary: (W2) PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (JUNE 19, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. MV U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL ARRIVING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH CAMBODIAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAM RAINSY; MV POWELL AND RAINSY TALKING; MV POWELL AND RAINSY BEING PHOTOGRAPHED AND LEAVING (3 SHOTS) 0.29 2. SOUNDBITE (English) CAMBODIAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAM RAINSY SAYING "It sends a powerful message to Hun Sen that the United States is watching and I have asked the Secretary of State to ensure that the elections will reflect the will of the Cambodian people and that the upcoming elections will lead to a peaceful transition towards democracy." 1.01 3. MV PRESS GATHERED; SLV EXTERIOR OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 1.10 4. MV CAMBODIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HOR NAMHONG (L) AND PRIME MINISTER HUN SEN (R) WAITING FOR MINISTERS TO ARRIVE FOR COURTESY CALL; MV HUN SEN WELCOMING MINISTERS; MV POWELL ENTERING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH CAMBODIAN DELEGATION (3 SHOTS) 1.30 (W2) PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (JUNE 18, 2003) (REUTERS) 5. MV POWELL WALKING ON STAGE FOR NEWS CONFERENCE 1.34 6. SOUNDBITE (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL SAYING "Let's hope instead for a fair, free, open elections where we see a clash of ideas and a clash of political personalities in a peaceful way, no violence in the elections and an aggressive media helping the people of Cambodia understand what their political leaders are saying to them. And that should be our desire and hope." 1.56 (W2) PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (JUNE 19, 2003) (REUTERS) 7. SLV ASEAN PLUS TEN MEETING; MV MYANMAR FOREIGN MINISTER WIN AUNG ARRIVING; MV POWELL ENTERING AND SITTING (5 SHOTS) 2.27 (W3) PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (JUNE 19, 2003) (REUTERS) 8. MV MYANMAR FOREIGN MINISTER WIN AUNG ENTERING CONFERENCE AND TALKING TO REPORTERS 2.33 9. SOUNDBITE (English) WING AUNG SAYING "One thing I'd like to assure you here. We don't have animosity towards Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In fact Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and myself were born in the same year." 2.44 10. MV MEMBERS OF MEDIA WATCHING WIN AUNG TALK 2.49 11. SOUNDBITE (English) WING AUNG SAYING "And we would like to see our country the same generation means 'let us work together'. That's what we have in mind and we don't have any intentions to harm her or prolong our security arrangement for the time being. And after all of this unfortunate incident, which we are sorry to see that, I think we need to move ahead forward". 3.11 12. MV JOURNALIST TAKING NOTES; MV WIN AUNG TALKING TO MEMBERS OF MEDIA 3.18 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 18th July 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
- Country: Cambodia
- Reuters ID: LVAAGD5X5ZK80E4F4S6RYV9KVGJ7
- Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell turned his
attention to Cambodian domestic affairs on the last day of his
whirlwind visit to the country. On visits to local political
leaders, Powell urged them to ensure that the country's
forthcoming elections would be held in a fair and free manner.
Myanmar's foreign minister has launched a spirited defence
of his country's military rulers, denying U.S. accusations of
brutality but setting no date for the release of pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
On July 27 impoverished Cambodia's 13 million people
will come to vote in an election that many worry will only
lead to to the possible return of strife, and maybe even
fighting.
A landmark U.N.-backed election in 1993 and the last
general election five years later were both marred by
violence, bitter disputes over the results and grave political
crises.
For those in political circles with a keen eye on the
rebuilding of "failed states", the worry is that billions of
U.S. dollars in international aid over the last decade have
not created the liberal democracy they would wish.
On Thursday (June 19) U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
paid a visit to opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who hopes to put
up a spirited challenge to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
After the meeting Rainsy said that Powell's commitment to
ensuring a fair and free election was an invaluable
contribution.
"It sends a powerful message to Hun Sen that the United
States is watching and I have asked the Secretary of State to
ensure that the elections will reflect the will of the
Cambodian people and that the upcoming elections will lead to
a peaceful transition towards democracy."
Hun Sen's victory on July 27 is not in doubt, but despite
this Rainsy was encouraged by the stance taken by Powell.
Powell later joined other ministers for a courtesy call on
the Cambodian Prime Minister. With 23 parties registering for
the polls, Cambodia's 10-year-old democracy might seem healthy
but is perhaps not developing as fast as some Western
observers might hope.
As the currency, the riel, wobbles against the dollar and
businesses temporarily slow investments, the election campaign
is shaping up to be a dirtier, if not as bloody as, previous
years.
The evening before his visits, Powell made a statement
urging the Cambodian government to ensure that the elections
would meet "international standards".
"Let's hope instead for a fair, free, open elections where
we see a clash of ideas and a clash of political personalities
in a peaceful way, no violence in the elections and an
aggressive media helping the people of Cambodia understand
what their political leaders are saying to them. And that
should be our desire," he said.
ASEAN ministers continued to meet in closed-door sessions
on Thursday, with representatives from countries such as
Russia, Japan, China and Australia joining also.
The detention since May 30 of the Nobel Peace Laureate
Aung San Suu Kyi by the Myanmar authorities has dominated the
four-day meeting. But after days and nights of unprecedented
public and private ear-bashing by his colleagues, Yangon's
beleaguered foreign minister Win Aung hit back, saying Suu
Kyi's detention was only temporary - and only for the good of
the country.
Despite fears from Burmese exile groups Suu Kyi had been
hurt in the May 30 clash between her supporters and pro-junta
henchmen, U.N envoy Razali Ismail who visited her last week
has said she was uninjured and "in good spirits".
Win Aung gave personal assurances this situation would not
alter, saying that the whole affair was just an "unfortunate
incident."
"One thing I'd like to assure you here. We don't have
animosity towards Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In fact Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi and myself were born in the same year."
He added: "We don't have any intentions to harm or prolong
our security arrangement for the time being."
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