America hopes to cancel debts owed by Cambodia

Source: Deum Ampil newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

The United States hopes to remit Cambodia's debts which the country has owed since 1970s by Lon Nol's regime, said the spokesman for the U.S embassy in a response to a direct public request to U.S Ambassador Carol Rodley by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

On Monday, Prime Minister Hun Sen publicly appealed to Ambassador Rodley that the United States should cancel Cambodia's debts because the United States has killed many Cambodians when it dropped tonnes of bombs in the 1970s.

In an email to Deum Ampil, Mr. John Johnson (pictured), spokesman for the U.S embassy, said that under international laws Cambodia has an obligation to repay the debts, but he added that he hopes there will be a bilateral agreement to resolve these debts.

"This is a bilateral issue that is ongoing. Under international laws, all governments are responsible (for the debts) of their previous governments", he said in an email to Deum Ampil. "We hope an agreement to resolve Cambodia's debts to the United States can be achieved soon and we hope that that agreement will provide benefits to the people of Cambodia at a time when Cambodia is making very encouraging efforts in its capability in the international financial markets."

In the 1970s, the Khmer Republic regime of Marshall Lon Nol owed the United States $160 million, but due to compounded interests, the debts have now increased to $300 million.